Greencore Response to Boparan

RNS Number : 9306Z

Greencore Group PLC

24 January 2011

 



NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION (DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY) IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO THE SAME WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

THE NEW GREENCORE SHARES TO BE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE TRANSACTION HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, NOR UNDER ANY OF THE RELEVANT SECURITIES LAWS OF CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA.  ACCORDINGLY, THE NEW GREENCORE SHARES MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR DELIVERED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO EXEMPTIONS FROM APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                      24 January 2011

Greencore Group plc ('Greencore')

Update

The board of Greencore notes the announcement of a recommended cash offer by BH Acquisitions Limited for Northern Foods plc ('Northern Foods') and the press commentary over the weekend.

The board of Greencore continues to believe that a combination with Northern Foods to create Essenta Foods represents a compelling opportunity for value creation for both Greencore and Northern Foods shareholders, through the formation of a business with increased scale in the industry and the ability to deliver substantial synergies around which the board has increased confidence.  However, the board recognises the importance attached by the Northern Foods board to the certainty of cash value in their decision to change their recommendation.

Given this latest development, the board of Greencore will now consider its options and as part of this process intends to seek the views of both Greencore and Northern Foods shareholders.  A further announcement will be made in due course.

Enquiries:

Greencore:
Eoin Tonge	Group Development Director	Tel: [phone]
Imelda Hurley	Chief Financial Officer	Tel: [phone]
Barclays Capital:
Mark Todd		Tel: [phone]
Jon Bathard-Smith	Corporate Broking	Tel: [phone]
Drury Communications:
Billy Murphy or Anne Marie Curran		Tel: [phone]
Powerscourt:
Rory Godson or Rob Greening		Tel: [phone]

Responsibility

The directors of Greencore accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement.  To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of Greencore (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in this announcement for which they accept responsibility is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.

Dealing Disclosure Requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code"), any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any paper offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first identified.  An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror(s).  An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror.  A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8.  A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a paper offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure, you should contact the Takeover Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on [phone].

Notice to U.S. Investors

The information contained herein does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States or offer to acquire securities in the United States.

The Greencore ordinary shares have not been, and are not intended to be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, into the United States except pursuant to an applicable exemption. The Greencore ordinary shares are intended to be made available within the United States in connection with the business combination described herein pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

The business combination described herein relates to the securities of a non-U.S. company. The business combination is subject to disclosure and procedural requirements of Ireland and the United Kingdom, which are different from those of the United States. Financial statements included in the document, if any, have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union, which may not be comparable to the financial statements of United States companies.

It may be difficult for you to enforce your rights and any claim you may have arising under the U.S. federal securities laws, since Greencore and Northern Foods are located in Ireland and the United Kingdom respectively, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of Ireland, the United Kingdom or other non-U.S. countries. You may not be able to sue a non-U.S. company or its officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. It may be difficult to compel a non-U.S. company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment.

Publication on Website

A copy of this announcement is and will be available free of charge for inspection on Greencore's website at www.greencore.com.

 

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