INTERNATIONAL – Kerry Group, the global ingredients, flavours and consumer foods business, has acquired French company Aromont and is now after US-based Stearns & Lehman.

Kerry has paid approximately 21m euro for Aromont, a producer of culinary ingredients and liquid sauces for the European food service industry. Stearns & Lehman, meanwhile, is a manufacturer of Italian-style flavoured syrups, beverage flavourings and toppings for the speciality coffee and beverage industries. It has manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Washington, Canada and a site planned for the UK. Kerry has offered 29 million euro for the business but the deal is subject to shareholder approval.