The biggest was PepsiCo’s bid for 66% of Russia’s Wimm-Bill-Dann at $3.8bn, followed by Ardagh’s packaging purchase of Impress for €1.7bn and DSM’s ingredients deal with Martek for $1.1bn.

There were also three notable dairy mergers, with Arla gunning for Hansa in Germany, Sodiaal swallowing Entremont in France and two Brazilian dairies combining to form Lacteos Brasil with $1.8bn sales.

12 of the 50 were in dairy, eight in food, eight in soft drinks, seven in alcohol, six in ingredients and six more in packaging.

30 were single-country transactions, 20 crossing national borders. 20 involved the US, followed by the UK on five, Brazil and Australia on four, then Canada, France and Ireland on three.

September 2010

Packaging – Femsa from Mexico sells flexible packaging operations.

October 2010

Bottled water – Italy’s Norda buys Monticchio Gaudianello.

November

Soft drinks – Coca-Cola from US buys Mundet brand from Femsa in Mexico.
Dairy – (US) General Mills to buy Mountain High yogurt brand from Dean Foods.
Biscuits – Tiger Brands from South Africa buys Deli Foods Nigeria.li>Food – Tiger Brands from South Africa to buy 49% of new UAC Foods from UAC of Nigeria.

December

Soft drinks – Canada’s Blue Gold Beverages to buy TY Recycling ($0.6m).
Dairy – PepsiCo from US to buy 66% of Wimm-Bill-Dann in Russia ($3.8bn).
Soft drinks – Alothon and Partners Group private equity firms complete purchase of Casadoce from Grupo Cerradinho in Brazil (R$100m sales).
Wine – France’s Jacquart to buy Montaudon Champagne from LVMH.
Alcohol – South Africa’s Pioneer Food Group to buy KWV ($119m).
Beer – Royal Unibrew from Denmark to take 20% stake in Van Pur of Poland after incorporating its Polish operations.
Dairy – Switzerland’s Emmi to buy Le Petit Chevrier from Fromagerie Bettex (CHF2.1m sales).
Food – Indonesia’s Tudung to sell 30% of Garuda Food ($300m est).
Wine – (US) Fiji Water buys Justin Vineyards.
Dairy – Bulgaria’s Bella to buy Ipex Group.
Dairy – Bulgaria’s Bella to buy Akurat Mlechna Promishlenost.
Beer – China’s Tsingtao to buy Shandong Xin ($281m).
Coffee – Zanetti from Italy buys Espresso Italia in Australia.
Packaging – Ardagh Glass completes purchase of Impress metal group in Europe (€1.7bn).
Soft drinks – (US) PepsiCo and Catterton private equity firm increase stake to majority of One coconut water.
Wine – India’s Tilaknagar buys Kesarval Springs.
Food – Greencore from Ireland buys On a Roll in US.
Packaging – Ball Corporation from US to buy Aerocan in Europe from Barclays Private Equity of UK (221m).
Soft drinks – Suntory from Japan buys European operations of Sunny Delight based in US.
Soft drinks – (US) Sunny Delight to buy Texas plant from JM Smucker.
Food – (US) Roark private equity firm buys Atkins Nutritionals.
Bottled water – Ireland’s Ishka to buy Burren Spring, formerly Shannon Minerals, from Frank O’Mara family.
Dairy – Spain’s Esteve Carvaller buys 5% of Cacaolat from Nueva Rumasa (€9m).
Food – Germany’s Dermapharm buys Anton Hübner from Nordzucker.
Food – Nestlé from Switzerland to buy Jenny Craig operations in Australia and New Zealand.
Food – (UK) GlaxoSmithKline to buy Maxinutrition from Darwin Private Equity (£162m).
Food – (US) General Mills to buy Pasta Master.
Packaging – (US) Berlin buys Continental Packaging Solutions.
Packaging – Owens-Illinois from US to buy Hebei Rixin Glass Group in China.
Soft drinks – Coca-Cola Hellenic from Greece to buy remaining 33.6% of Nigerian Bottling Company (€94m).
Dairy – Yoplait from France buys Liberté in Canada from Swander private equity firm (C$175m sales).
Ingredients – Cargill from US to buy 85% of Sorini sorbitol producer in Indonesia ($300m).
Packaging – RPC from UK to buy Superfos of Denmark (€240m).
Sugar – Noble from Singapore to buy two Cerradinko cane mills in Brazil ($590m).
Dairy – Arla from Scandinavia to buy Hansa-Milch of Germany.
Dairy – France’s Sodiaal to buy Entremont.
Dairy – Ireland’s Glanbia to buy Dawn Dairies from Kerry (€10m est).
Supplements – (US) Omega Protein buys Cyvex Nutrition.
Water – Pentair from US to buy Hidro Filtros in Brazil.
Food – (US) High Road private equity firm affiliate buys Panos Brands from Wessanen of Netherlands ($22m).
Dairy – (UK) Dale Farm to buy Fane Valley liquid milk operations.
Ingredients – DSM from Netherlands to buy Martek Bio Sciences of US ($1.09bn).
Flavours – (US) Pinova buys LyondellBasell Flavors & Fragrances ($150m).
Ingredients – Wilmar from New Zealand completes purchase of Sucrogen in Australia.
Packaging – (US) Sterling private equity firm completes purchase of substantial equity interest in Saxco International.
Dairy – Brazil’s Bom Gosto and LeitBom to merge as Lacteos Brasil ($1.8bn sales).
Ingredients – Agropur from Canada buys Main Street Ingredients of US.
Soft drinks – Japan’s Asahi to buy Rokujo Mugicha tea brand from Kagome.
Wine – Champ private equity firm from Australia to buy 80% of Australia, South Africa and UK bu
ss from Constellation of US ($230m).
Dairy – Arla from Scandinavia to buy Sundsvall plant from Milko of Sweden.