Bill Ackman gestures as he speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview in London on January 14, 2015. Ackman’s $5.6bn investment in snack giant Mondelez International represents a bet that the US food industry’s acquisition streak will continue.


Bloomberg/San Francisco


Billionaire Bill Ackman’s hedge fund amassed a $5.6bn stake in snack giant Mondelez International, part of a push for consolidation in an industry hampered by slowing growth and a shift towards healthier eating.
The holding, which includes forward purchase contracts and call options, amounts to 7.5% of the producer of Oreo cookies and Wheat Thins, according to Ackman’s firm, Pershing Square Capital Management.
Ackman’s investment represents a bet that the US food industry’s acquisition streak will continue. HJ Heinz Co swallowed up Kraft Foods Group last month, with the backing of investment firm 3G Capital and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Mondelez, which was part of Kraft until 2012, has been cited as a similar takeover candidate. But it’s hard to tell how soon a deal like that would come together.
“It could be an acquisition target,” said Erin Lash, an analyst at Morningstar in Chicago. “While we think while 3G and Berkshire have expressed interest in remaining a consolidator in the food space, we doubt a tie-up with Kraft Heinz would happen within a year or two.”
Mondelez fended off another push for consolidation last year when activist Nelson Peltz lobbied for a merger with Pepsico. Peltz agreed to drop the issue when he joined Mondelez’s board. Since then, the snack company has been focused on bolstering its operations by cutting costs and shifting production overseas. That helped second-quarter profit top analysts’ estimates, and Mondelez’s stock is up 27% this year through Wednesday’s close.
“We welcome Pershing Square as investors in our company,” Mondelez said in a statement. “We’ll continue to focus on executing our strategy and on delivering value for all our shareholders.”
Ackman believes Mondelez’s revenue should be growing faster and cutting costs more dramatically — or sell itself to a rival, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. If Mondelez decides to pursue a sale, the newly formed Kraft Heinz could be a buyer, the newspaper said.
Kraft Heinz, based in Illinois, declined to comment.
3G and Buffett have become a potent force in driving mergers and cost cuts in the food business, leading to speculation about their next target.
The Kraft transaction, which valued the macaroni-and-cheese maker at about $46bn before net debt, was the biggest food deal on record. It surpassed Buffett and 3G Capital’s takeover of Heinz for more than $23bn in 2013. Berkshire also provided financing for 3G-owned Burger King Worldwide’s acquisition of Tim Hortons last year.
When it makes an acquisition, 3G is known for taking a close look at expenses. Kraft and Heinz are aiming to trim $1.5bn in annual costs by the end of 2017, and the cutbacks have already begun.
The combined company rolled out policies aimed at curbing travel, electricity and even office supplies, according to a memo reviewed by Bloomberg News. The food maker has also begun eliminating jobs, and it even got rid of the free snacks from its offices, according to people familiar with the matter. Refrigerators that used to be stocked with Kraft treats were removed this month from the headquarters outside Chicago, the people said.
If Mondelez were to be acquired by a 3G-backed Kraft, it would reverse a breakup that happened almost three years ago. When the companies split up in 2012, the idea to was have Mondelez tap international markets while Kraft focused on North America.
“There’s an opportunity to take out more costs — particularly if Kraft Heinz makes good on its aims,” Lash said. “Mondelez needs to fall in line or risk being taken out.”