Last week, Canada’s Aurora Cannabis Inc. announced plans to purchase rival medical marijuana grower, MedReleaf for $2.5 billion, the biggest ever deal in the legal cannabis industry. This follows a wave of consolidation in Canadian cannabis as the country prepares to become the first G7 nation to legalize recreational marijuana nationally as early as this summer.
Read MoreLast week, Walmart announced plans to sell its U.K. subsidiary Asda to rival British grocery chain Sainsbury’s. The proposed deal would create the largest grocery store chain in British history, with more than 31 percent of the market in the hands of one company. It would put even more pressure on farmers and food suppliers, and threaten 330,000 employees with job losses.
Read MoreA growing number of American ranchers are calling on the Trump Administration to block a Brazilian corporation’s plan to take over America’s fourth largest meatpacker. They say the deal would worsen monopolization in the sector and further harm the livelihoods of American farmers and ranchers.
Read MoreIn the fall of 2016, the German drug, seed, and crop chemicals conglomerate Bayer announced plans to merge with the U.S. chemical and bio-tech seed giant Monsanto. Hoping to overcome objections from European anti-trust regulators, Bayer is promising to sell off its vegetable seed business to BASF, a German corporation that is currently the largest chemical maker in the world.
Read MoreWhen Bayer first announced its plan to purchase Monsanto, most observers focused on how much power the two corporations already wield over agricultural inputs like seeds and pesticides. But Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s top antitrust enforcer, appears also to be focusing on how much control a combined Bayer-Monsanto would have over the data generated from private farms.
Read MoreThere have been at least 33 acquisitions of restaurant brands with more than 10 locations this year. Some of the highest profile acquisitions came from private equity and investment firms, who are already major owners in the restaurant sector.
Read MoreOn November 20, wine and spirits distributors Breakthru Beverage and Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) announced that they plan to merge. The two companies are the second- and third-largest distributors, and would together have nearly a 60% market share. Experts say continued consolidation in distribution means less leverage for small retailers, and an uphill struggle for small wineries seeking distribution contracts.
Read MoreAnheuser-Busch InBev was consistently in the news last year as it closed its blockbuster $100 billion acquisition of SABMiller. But beyond headline-generating deals, the brewer is finding new ways to expand its reach, particularly in the craft sector. The company’s wholly-owned venture capital firm has been quietly investing in beer ratings websites, delivery services, and international craft brewers—an indication that, despite cuts to its domestic craft acquisition program, the mega-brewer is finding yet more ways to put pressure on the independent and craft beer sector.
Read MoreAmidst farmer concerns about data collection by agricultural technology companies, agrochemical and seed giant DuPont on August 9th agreed to buy software company Granular Inc. for $300 million. With the deal, DuPont greatly increases its ability to collect detailed data on the operations of individual farms.
Read MoreThe National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) last week said it plans to bring an injunction against Bayer to stop the German corporation’s $66 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The announcement comes as farmers and antitrust advocates across the country organize against the looming merger of the two agrochemical giants, which they say would have dire consequences for both conventional and organic farmers.
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