Mbabane– The Eswatini Competition Commission (ESCC) has approved Premier Group Limited’s acquisition of 100 percent of Rhodes Food Group Holdings Limited, clearing the transaction after finding it is unlikely to reduce competition or negatively affect the public interest in Eswatini.
The approval follows a regulatory review concluded on March 16, 2026, during which the Commission assessed the competitive impact of the transaction on the local fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market.
Premier Group, which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, manufactures staple food products including maize and wheat flour, bread and other baked goods, as well as selected personal care products. Rhodes Food Group, on the other hand, specialises in convenience foods, producing canned fruit and vegetables, dairy products, fruit juices and ready-to-eat meals.
In its assessment, the Commission defined the relevant market as the manufacturing and distribution of branded and private-label fast-moving consumer goods in Eswatini.
The Commission found that the businesses operate largely in different product categories, with Premier’s strength lying in staple foods and bakery products, while Rhodes Food Group focuses on processed fruit products and convenience meals. This limited overlap, it said, significantly reduces the likelihood of competition concerns arising from the transaction.
Regulators also examined whether the merger could create anti-competitive portfolio effects by strengthening the combined entity’s position across multiple product categories. However, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not distort competition, citing the presence of competing suppliers and readily available substitute products in the market.
The Technical Committee further determined that the structure of the relevant market would remain unchanged following the acquisition and that the merger would not have adverse effects on consumers or public interest considerations in Eswatini.
The Commission, however, noted that its approval relates only to competition matters and does not exempt the parties from complying with any other legal or regulatory requirements applicable under Eswatini law.
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