GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB advised Flight Delight Air Catering GmbH, a subsidiary of the Munich-based delicatessen Käfer, on the acquisition of the German catering business of gategroup with regard to both antitrust and merger control law.

Negotiations on the sale of LSG Sky Chefs` European business, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group responsible for inflight catering in Europe, to the Swiss global market leader gategroup began back in 2019. The European Commission agreed to the acquisition of LSG Sky Chefs’ European business by gategroup only under certain obligations. Among other things, gategroup had to sell its existing inflight catering business at German airports to a suitable competitor.

The acquirer of this business to be divested at German airports is Flight Delight Air Catering GmbH, which was assisted in the takeover by a GÖRG team led by Hamburg partner Dr. Maxim Kleine, who provided antitrust and merger law advice. The Transaction was finalized with the European Commission granting certain waivers to the divestment obligations which appeared to be necessary due to the heavy consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on inflight catering businesses. The special situation as a consequence of the pandemic crisis made the implementation of the divestment obligations very challenging.

Advisors Flight Delight Catering GmbH

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB
Dr. Maxim Kleine (Lead, Partner, Antitrust Law, Hamburg)
Dr. Tobias Teichner (Associate, Antitrust Law, Hamburg)

Norton Rose Fulbright
Nils Rahlf (Partner, M&A, Frankfurt)
 

Advisors gategroup

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 
Dr. Peter Niggemann (Partner, Antitrust Law, Düsseldorf)