Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) advises longstanding client Compass Group on the acquisition of Hofmann-Menü Holdings GmbH (‘HOFMANNs’) from Partners Group. Closing of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

HOFMANNs is a leading German manufacturer and supplier of high-quality cooked and frozen meals, with close to 1,200 employees and production and distribution facilities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. With this acquisition, Compass Group, a multinational food services provider headquartered in the UK, would increase its presence in one of the fastest growing segments within Germany’s food service industry, adding new capability with scaled production into the Group.

The Freshfields team is being led by partners Natascha Doll (Global Transactions, Hamburg) and Rhys Evans (Global Transactions, London) and comprises senior associates Lucy Cliff (Global Transactions, London), Carsten Bork and Panagiota Kavvada (both Global Transactions, Hamburg) as well as associates Alex Potts (Global Transactions, London), Lukas Pirnay, Aleksandar Atanasov and Steffen Blume (Global Transactions, Hamburg). Tax advice is being provided by a team led by senior associate Emily Szasz (London) with support by counsel Martin Rehberg (Munich) and associates Joseph Williams (London) and Ilko Trenn (Munich). Partner Katrin Gassner and associate Geronimo Benedict (both Düsseldorf) are advising on anti-trust matters.