According to Flowers Foods Inc., Thomasville, Ga., the U.S. Department of Justice has approved an agreement under which Flowers will acquire certain assets and trademark licenses from BBU Inc., a subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo S.A. B. de C.V. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Under the agreement, Flowers will receive perpetual, exclusive and royalty-free licenses to the Sara Lee and Earthgrains brands for sliced breads, buns and rolls in California, which together account for annual sales of approximately $134 million. Flowers also will receive perpetual, exclusive and royalty-free license to the Earthgrains brand for a broad range of fresh bakery products in the Oklahoma City market area.

The transactions will be completed in phases. The Oklahoma City license will be completed shortly, and the first phase of the California transaction is expected to close the first quarter of fiscal 2013.

“The acquisition strengthens our market presence in California, adding about 14.5 million people to the 70% of the U.S. population that currently has access to our fresh breads and rolls,” says George E. Deese, Flowers Foods’ chairman and CEO. “This moves us closer to our goal of reaching 75% of the U.S. population through our direct-store-delivery system by 2016.”

Flowers Foods has completed more than 100 acquisitions since listing publicly in 1968, including 13 in the past decade. Most recently, Flowers acquired Tasty Baking Co. in 2011 and Lepage Bakeries Inc. in 2012.

Source: Flowers Foods Inc., PRNewswire