Spanish sparkling-wine maker Freixenet gets offer - source
By Emma Pinedo and Matthias Inverardi
MADRID/DUSSELDORF (Reuters) - Spain's biggest sparkling-wine maker Freixenet has received an offer for the company, a source close to the producer said on Tuesday, without giving any further details.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for unlisted German wine company Henkell said it was in talks with privately owned Freixenet over a possible co-operation but declined to specify what such a deal might entail. A Freixenet spokeswoman declined to comment.
Freixenet, founded in 1861 and producer of Freixenet cava since 1914, has 18 wineries in three continents and is one of the best-known Spanish brands whose Christmas television adverts are much anticipated as a sign of the start of the festive season.
Henkell, a subsidiary of German food group Dr. Oetker, has German sparkling wines, champagne, prosecco and cava in its stable of brands.
Freixenet is owned by three branches of the founding family which could complicate any sale, Spanish media said on Tuesday.
Jose Ferrer and his four children control 42 percent of the capital of Freixenet while another branch of the family, the Hevia Ferrer brothers, control 29 percent. A third family unit, the Bonet Ferrer, own another 29 percent.
The owners of the 42 percent stake do not want to sell and are investigating making a counter offer to the other members of the family to keep the company in their hands, Spanish press reported. The Freixenet spokeswoman declined to comment on this.
(Writing by Sonya Dowsett; editing by Susan Thomas)
