The Bundeskartellamt, Germany's competition authority, has granted approval for the Theo Müller Group to acquire the yogurt brands 'Elinas' and 'Lünebest' along with a yogurt production facility in Lüneburg from Hochwald Foods GmbH.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt, stated that while the acquisition will increase Müller's market share in certain yogurt categories to over 30%, the legal requirements for blocking the merger were not met. The authority concluded that sufficient competition would remain in the market, providing retailers with adequate alternative sources.

The Theo Müller Group is one of the largest dairies in Germany, producing a wide range of dairy products including yogurt, desserts, and milk drinks under well-known brands such as 'Müller', 'Weihenstephan', and 'Landliebe'. Hochwald Foods, the seller, is also a significant dairy player in Germany, looking to exit the yogurt business by divesting the 'Elinas' and 'Lünebest' brands.

The merger impacts the markets for natural yogurt and yogurt with additives, with 'Elinas' being a Greek-style yogurt and 'Lünebest' a set yogurt primarily marketed in Northern Germany. Investigations revealed that the merger would lead to significant growth for Müller in the Greek-style yogurt segment, although concerns were raised about the integration of 'Elinas' into Müller's existing brand portfolio.

Despite the strong market position of Müller, the authority determined that the merger would not create a separate market for Greek-style yogurt, but rather a broader market for natural yogurt and yogurt with additives, with Müller’s market shares post-merger estimated between 25-30% for natural yogurt and 30-35% for yogurt with additives.