Woolworths: Secures Regulatory Approval for in2food Acquisition

Retail giant Woolworths Holdings Limited (WHL) has secured all regulatory approvals, including competition authority consent, to acquire 100% of the issued shares of in2food Holdings Proprietary Limited. In an announcement published on the Sens on Thursday, the group confirmed that the transaction – initially announced on 17 March 2026 – is expected to formally complete within the coming month. Under the terms of the deal, Woolworths will acquire in2food from its founders, Old Mutual Private Equity, and other exiting shareholders. The acquisition brings in-house a South African producer of convenience foods that has operated as a strategic supplier to Woolworths Food for over 30 years. Read: Woolworths moves to acquire key supplier in2food WHL noted that the deal builds on Woolworths Food’s ecosystem, which it described as its market-leading premium food ecosystem, the Groups strongest source of competitive advantage and primary engine of value creation. Explaining the operational rationale for the vertical integration, WHL stated: Consistent with this strategic direction, the transaction strengthens Woolworths Foods supply chain resilience and further differentiates its premium offering. Greater integration will increase agility and efficiency across the supply chain, improving speed-to-market and responsiveness to changing customer needs. WHL added that it remains committed to working closely with its diverse supplier partners, which will continue to play an integral role in the strength and future growth of the food ecosystem. Expansion into non-competing food service Beyond core retail operations, the acquisition is structured to open additional growth avenues by leveraging in2food’s presence in external commercial channels. Detailing its expansion goals outside direct retail stores, WHL noted: The transaction also advances the groups objective of unlocking new revenue streams by leveraging in2foods established presence in food service and export markets to accelerate growth in non-competing channels and extend participation in the broader food ecosystem. Read: Woolworths profit falls as new CEO pivots group toward food Upon final completion, in2food will continue operating as a standalone entity within Woolworths, with its existing senior leadership team remaining in place to manage operations and maintain its corporate structure. From a balance sheet perspective, WHL confirmed that the transaction is expected to be earnings-accretive, with additional operational efficiencies anticipated over time. Read: The next battleground for Woolies and Checkers New Woolies CEO gets R100m carrot to double share price Follow us on our official channels: or create a free account . Free users can leave 4 comments per month. Subscribers can leave unlimited comments via our website and app .