Seprod Limited (“Seprod”) recent announcement that it has reached an agreement to acquire A.S. Bryden & Sons Holdings (“A.S. Bryden”), is a combination that will according to Richard Pandohie Chief Executive Officer of Seprod, create the leading integrated manufacturing and distribution group in the Caribbean.
The combination will also position Seprod for regional supremacy.
To get a much clearer insight into:
1. What may have been the strategic driving force behind the acquisition, and
2. Understand what it has to do with Richard Pandohie’s single domestic market strategy
we have to look more closely at what A.S. Bryden & Sons Holdings Limited (“A.S. Bryden”) offers to Seprod that it does not already have.
But first let’s take a brief look at Seprod.
Seprod Limited (“Seprod”) is a preeminent regional food manufacturing, distribution and agribusiness group, founded in 1940 and is a blue-chip company listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE: SEP). Seprod represents leading global and regional principals and also has a significant manufacturing base spanning oils and margarine, wheat and corn milling, integrated dairy and biscuits and snacks.
Importantly Seprod is a member of the powerful Musson Group of Companies (“Musson”). Musson is a diversified holding company that owns controlling stakes in a number of public and private companies in the Caribbean and Central America across distribution, manufacturing, insurance, information technology, logistics and real estate.
Musson’s subsidiaries and joint ventures include Seprod, Productive Business Solutions Limited, General Accident Insurance Company (Jamaica) Limited, T. Geddes Grant Distributors Limited, Interlinc Group Limited, Canopy Insurance Company Jamaica Limited and Felton Limited.
So, What Does A.S. Bryden Offer To Seprod?
A Single Domestic Market
Richard Pandohie Chief Executive Officer of Seprod has always considered that Caricom should operate as a single domestic market, and with this acquisition it will allow A.S. Bryden and Seprod to take a quantum leap in creating a regional company, utilizing the best of their Caribbean people to create value-added synergies.
Provides A Gateway To Guyana And Barbados Markets
It’s important and strategic to note that Seprod’s acquisition of the Trinidad based A.S. Bryden, provides gateways to both the Guyana and Barbados markets. One of the A.S. Bryden subsidiaries, Bryden pi through its wholly-owned subsidiary Genethics, operates in Guyana through its subsidiary BPI Guyana and in Barbados through its joint venture Armstrong Healthcare Inc. Limited.
Deep History And Roots In The Region
A.S. Bryden, which has deep history and roots in the region, having been founded in 1923 and operating in Trinidad for almost a century. is a leading consumer products distributor and is one of the largest privately-owned businesses in Trinidad.
How Does A.S. Bryden Make Money?
A.S. Bryden is a privately held company, so financial information on the company will not be readily available until we can view the financial reports from Seprod following the acquisition. What we do know is that A.S. Bryden distributes food, pharmaceuticals, hardware, houseware and industrial equipment, and operates through three principal operating subsidiaries:
1. A.S. Bryden & Sons (Trinidad) Limited (“ASBT”),
2. Bryden pi Limited (“Bryden pi”) and
3. F.T. Farfan Limited (“FT Farfan”).
ASBT distributes food, hardware and housewares and premium beverages for international brands including Mondelez, Whirlpool, Rubbermaid, Truper, Reynolds, Colcafe, Bon ice cream, Cadbury, Johnnie Walker, Hennessy, Moet Chandon, Red Bull, Black & Decker, LG, KitchenAid, Oster and Speed Queen.
Bryden pi distributes healthcare, personal care and food and grocery products for international brands including Kimberly Clark, Mead Johnson, Baxter, Roche, Glaxo Smith Kline, L’Oreal, Novartis, Sanofi and Sandoz.
Bryden pi also manufactures a line of over the counter products through its wholly-owned subsidiary Genethics and operates in Guyana through its subsidiary BPI Guyana and in Barbados through its joint venture Armstrong Healthcare Inc. Limited.
It’s not yet clear how FT Farfan, which is an industrial supply and service company that serves leading international brands including Stihl, JCB, Castrol, Shell Marine, Cummins and Lincoln Electric, fits into the current Seprod business structure. It’s possible that this company could be sold for its parts. However, with the rapid economic developments taking place in Guyana, driven by large investments taking place in the petroleum sectors FT Farfan, which operates in Trinidad and in Guyana through its subsidiary Ibis Construction Equipment Sales & Rentals Inc. (ICON) Guyana could be a strategic player.
The EVE Brand
Both Seprod and ASBT own the Eve brand and range of products in their respective markets, which positions this brand for a major regional push, and could become the combined entity’s primary Caribbean brand.
EVE, positioned by Seprod as “First Family of Fine Foods”, and one of the most complete food brands worldwide, has become synonymous with fine quality products at economical prices. The EVE brand holds 6 categories: Pasta, Oil, Seasonings, Canned Vegetables, Canned Meats, Canned Juices, Vinegar, Jams/Jellies, Condiments, Sauces, Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk. Eve is arguably the most complete food brand on the Jamaican market and can be found on tables not only in Jamaica but throughout the islands the company notes on its website.
What Does Seprod’s Acquisition of Trinidad Based A.S. Bryden Have to Do with CEO Richard Pandohie’s Single Domestic Market Strategy?….Part 2
[…] Seprod Group acquired a majority stake in A.S. Bryden & Sons Holdings Limited (the Bryden Group) in June 2022 in a well-documented transaction. The results for the Seprod Group for Q2 and Q2 […]