The Latvian competition authority, known as the Competition Council, has been notified of a proposed merger involving JNG Investments OÜ, an Estonian company, which aims to acquire decisive influence over the Lithuanian company Uždaroji akcinė bendrovė VILANDRA.

JNG Investments OÜ is registered in Estonia and operates as a parent company to 13 subsidiaries, primarily engaged in logistics and the wholesale distribution of everyday consumer goods across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The company indirectly controls five individuals.

On the other hand, Uždaroji akcinė bendrovė VILANDRA is a Lithuanian company that also operates in the wholesale distribution of everyday consumer goods, distributing food and cosmetic brands such as Haribo, RIO mare, o.b., and Neutrogena in the Baltic states.

The activities of both merging parties overlap in the wholesale market for everyday consumer goods, distributing food products, beverages, various household and hygiene items, as well as automotive maintenance products. Additionally, they are involved in vertically related logistics and advertising markets, although these services are primarily linked to supporting their own operations.

The Competition Council is required to make a decision regarding the merger's approval, prohibition, or conditional approval within one month of receiving the notification. If a more in-depth investigation is necessary, the decision-making period may be extended up to three months from the notification date.

Market participants or other interested parties wishing to provide their opinions on the potential impact of the proposed merger on competition are invited to contact senior economist Andris Vītols by June 20, 2025, or fill out the provided questionnaire.