D.E Master Blenders 1753 and Mondelēz International Receive Conditional Approval to Create Leading Global Coffee Business

AMSTERDAM and DEERFIELD, Illinois, May 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

D.E Master Blenders 1753 B.V. (DEMB) and Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) announced today that they have received conditional approval from the European Commission to combine their respective coffee businesses and create the world's leading pure-play coffee company - JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS (JDE). The European Commission's approval follows JDE's commitment to divest the Carte Noire brand throughout the European Economic Area, the Merrild brand in Denmark and the Baltics, and licensing of the Senseo brand to a third party in Austria. 

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The World's Leading Pure-Play Coffee Company 

JDE will be the world's leading pure-play coffee company with:

• Annual revenues of more than €5 billion
• No. 1 or No. 2 position in over 18 countries across Europe, Latin America and Australia
• An international workforce of approximately 12,000 associates
• A portfolio comprising some of the most well-known coffee brands around the world:
  • Power brands including: Jacobs, Tassimo, Moccona, Senseo and L'Or
  • Leading local brands including: Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao and Gevalia

"We are pleased the Commission has conditionally approved the creation of JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS, and we are excited to create the world's leading pure-play coffee company. Through our iconic brands, rich histories and leading technologies, we intend to give coffee drinkers what they deserve: greater choice and access to some of the best coffee brands in the world," said Pierre Laubies, CEO of JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS.

"The combination of our coffee business with that of D.E Master Blenders 1753 creates a new global leader in the coffee category with a fantastic portfolio of technology platforms and global and local brands," said Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelēz International. "The partnership will allow us to continue to participate in the growth of the coffee category, while enabling us to focus our resources on our core snacks categories of chocolate, biscuits, gum and candy."