Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods

Wimm Bill Dann Foods OJSC
Joint stock
Industry Foods and Beverages
Founded 1992
Headquarters Moscow, Russia
Key people
 Toby Denis Maher, Chairman of the Management Board
Dmitry A. Anisimov, CFO
Vera V. Eliseeva, Head of Human Resources
Products Yogurt
Milk
Fruit Juice
Soft Drinks
Revenue Decrease US$ 2.18 billion (2009)[1]
Decrease US$ 0.201 billion (2009)[1]
Decrease US$ 0.117 billion (2009)[1]
Total assets Decrease US$ 1.49 billion (2009)[1]
Total equity Increase US$ 0.703 billion (2009)[1]
Number of employees
 18,485
Parent PepsiCo
Website www.wbd.ru

Wimm Bill Dann OJSC (Russian: Вимм-Билль-Данн) is one of Europe's largest dairy products companies. The company is headquartered in Moscow, Russia. WBD produces yogurt, milk, flavored milk, fruit juices, and other soft drinks. It holds a 34% share in all dairy products in Russia, and a 20% share of the fruit drink market.

Wimm Bill Dann has 30 production sites in 16 cities, from Vladivostok to Kiev, and owns a subsidiary company in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The "About our Company" page on the website describes the company's close ties to Russia's cattle and dairy farms. The company's management is both Russian and non-Russian.

History

The company was founded in 1992, and was one of the first Russian producers of fruit juice under the "J7" brand.[2]

In response to a decline in the census of dairy cattle in Russia, the company spent US$7 mm in 1999 to modernize its suppliers' milking and refrigeration equipment, using state-of-the art Swedish technology.

The company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2002.[2]

Danone considered a takeover of Wimm-Bill-Dann around 2003.[3] It at one time had an 18% stake in the company, which it sold in October 2010.[2]

PepsiCo acquisition

On 2 December 2010, PepsiCo agreed to buy 66% of Wimm-Bill-Dann for $3.8 billion.[4] The purchase was one of the biggest foreign investments yet seen in Russia outside the energy industry.[5] Following the acquisition, the company delisted its stock from the New York Stock Exchange in 2011.[6] The acquisition was the second-largest in PepsiCo history (after its earlier acquisition of Quaker Oats).[2]

Months following its acquisition of the company, PepsiCo was alerted of possible accounting improprieties by an anonymous whistle-blower. PepsiCo hired the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to conduct an investigation of Wimm Bill Dann, which revealed widespread compliance issues including potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations. PepsiCo general counsel Maura Smith commissioned a memo which blamed PepsiCo's European management and compliance reporting systems for previously overlooking these improprieties, but her employment ended for undisclosed reasons before the memo was finalized. Following these events, the Securities and Exchange Commission began an investigation as to whether Smith was fired in retaliation for her actions.[7]

Brands

WBD has a portfolio of over 1,000 different types of yogurt and dairy drinks, and 150 types of fruit juices and fruit drinks. Its most recognized brands are "J7", "100% Gold Premium", "Favourite Garden" (Russian: "Любимый сад"), "House in a village" (Russian: "Домик в деревне"), "Jolly Milkman" (Russian: "Весёлый молочник"), and "Agousha" (Russian: "Агуша").

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Wimm Bill Dann Foods OJSC (3 February 2010). "Wimm Bill Dann Foods OJSC Consolidated Financial Statements Years Ended December 31st, 2009, 2008, 2007" (PDF). wbd.com. Wimm Bill Dann. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Chazan, Guy; Cimilluca, Dana; McKay, Betsy (2010-12-03). "Pepsi Juices Up in Russia". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  3. ↑ "Danone axes bid for Wimm-Bill-Dann | IOL Business Report". Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  4. ↑ "PepsiCo to Acquire 66% of Russia's Wimm-Bill-Dann Dairy and Juice Company for $3.8 billion". pepsico.com (Press release). PepsiCo. 2 December 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Pepsi's Russian challenge". The Economist. 397 (8712). 11 December 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods files applies to delist from NYSE". Interfax. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  7. ↑ Ackerman, Andrew; Palazzolo, Joe; Maloney, Jennifer (2017-09-27). "SEC Probes Departure of PepsiCo's Former Top Lawyer". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
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