Woolworths Holdings has secured all regulatory approvals required for its acquisition of food producer in2food Holdings, paving the way for completion of the deal next month and deepening its integration across South Africa’s food supply chain.
The upmarket food and clothing retailer said this in a statement on Thursday, stating that all suspensive conditions, including competition authority approval, had been fulfilled for the purchase of 100% of the issued shares in in2food Holdings, a long-standing supplier to its food division.
Completion of the transaction is expected in the coming month. Though Woollies has not publicly disclosed the acquisition price, in2food generates over R5-billion in annual revenue. The company on its website says it has a team of over 8 000 “colleagues” who produce over 1 400 different products.
The acquisition, first announced on March 17, 2026, is expected to bring a key supplier of convenience foods fully into the Woolworths fold. in2food has supplied Woolworths Food for more than three decades.
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Food ecosystem expansion
Woolworths said the transaction supports its strategy of expanding its premium food business, which it described as its primary engine of value creation. The retailer expects the deal to strengthen supply chain resilience, improve speed-to-market and enhance product innovation.
The company said closer integration with in2food would increase agility and efficiency across its supply chain while improving responsiveness to changing consumer demand.
At the same time, Woolworths sought to reassure supplier partners, saying it remained committed to maintaining relationships with its broader supplier network, which it described as central to the strength of its food ecosystem.
New revenue opportunities
Beyond its retail operations, Woolworths said the acquisition would provide access to new growth opportunities through in2food’s established food-service and export businesses, helping it expand into non-competing channels.
Following completion, in2food will continue to operate as a standalone business within the group and its current senior leadership team is expected to remain in place.
Woolworths said the transaction is expected to be earnings-accretive and should generate additional benefits over time as operational efficiencies are realised.
The company said the deal falls below the threshold requiring formal classification under JSE listing rules and the announcement was therefore made on a voluntary basis.
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- Woolworths Holdings has obtained all regulatory approvals for its acquisition of in2food Holdings, expecting deal completion next month.
- in2food Holdings is a longstanding food supplier to Woolworths Food, generating over R5-billion in annual revenue and employing over 8,000 staff.
- The acquisition supports Woolworths' strategy to expand its premium food business and aims to improve supply chain resilience and product innovation.
- Woolworths will maintain relationships with its broader supplier network despite the acquisition to preserve the strength of its food ecosystem.
- in2food will operate as a standalone business within Woolworths, with its current senior leadership team expected to remain in place after the transaction.
