Mellby Gård
22 May 2024
At the beginning of May, Mellby Gård became a 50 percent owner in Duni Group through a major acquisition of an additional ten percent of the share capital. This is part of Mellby Gård's strategy to "continue to do what we do best". Duni Group has – after the pandemic – demonstrated a stable business based on an ambitious sustainability agenda, which lays the foundation for a continued good partnership.
In 2007, Mellby Gård acquired its first holdings in Duni Group. Duni Group, today a international company, has two strong and complementary business areas: "Dining solutions" with products for table settings and "Food Packaging Solutions" with packaging for food, including take-away. The company has an ambitious sustainability agenda and is pushing the issue of single-use and reusable products in a market that is facing a major change as regulations and legal requirements increase.
After being a stable owner in Duni Group for several years, just under 30 percent, the decision came to step over the mandatory bid limit in the fall of 2023. Mellby Gård then went up to a 40 percent ownership. This was followed by a six-month period of restraint before the window of opportunity was opened. In May 2024, the choice was made to increase ownership in Duni Group to 50 percent.
- We very much believe in Duni Group and how they have re-directed and developed their business. It has been our plan for a long time to acquire more shares in the company, but of course we needed to adhere to the binding bid rules that exist. Now we are ready to invest further in the company, to be part of their conversion journey and to explore the opportunities that exist on that path, says Johan Andersson, CEO of Mellby Gård.
If the opportunity should arise to further increase the holdings in Duni Group, nothing is ruled out, but at the moment there are no plans at Mellby Gård to acquire more shares or make any major changes in the company.
- Investing further in Duni Group is completely in line with our strategy “to continue to do what we do best”. We have no hidden agenda here where we take this company in a different direction or change the dividend policy. It is business as usual. For us, it is important to have a very decentralized model. When it comes to our companies, it is something that is up to the management and its board in our opinion, they know their business best. We will make sure that the company can continue do what they have always done, says Johan Andersson.
- The increased ownership indicates that we have an owner who believes in us and our future development. Mellby Gård has always been a stable and long-term owner who both supports and gives us the leeway we need to drive our company forward, says Robert Dackeskog, President and CEO of Duni Group.
