WBD admits takeover talks

RUSSIA – Wimm-Bill-Dann has admitted for the first time that it is in talks with the French Groupe Danone.

This is despite denying that any such talks were taking place only last week. A statement said that the company’s shareholders had also explored the possibility of a joint venture with Danone on a previous occasion.

It went on to say that shareholders are currently in preliminary discussions aimed at a possible transaction.

Although details of the talks were not revealed, the company admitted that the possibility of a Groupe Danone takeover bid was not out of the question, and that it was co-operating in preliminary discussions at the request of its shareholders.