China's Bright Food (Group) Co Ltd said on Tuesday it was holding talks with Tnuva, Israel's biggest food manufacturer and distributor, about a possible acquisition.
"This has really just got going, and the two sides are in the process of talking and understanding one another," Bright Food spokesman Pan Jianjun told Reuters.
British private equity firm Apax Partners holds a 56 percent stake in dairy-focused Tnuva, and the potential deal could be worth around 10 billion yuan ($1.63 billion), a Chinese paper said.
Bright Food has acquired several foreign firms over the last few years, including New Zealand's Synlait Milk Ltd, Australia's Manassen Foods and France's Diva in a bid to expand its global reach.
The Chinese firm also owns a 60 percent stake in British cereal maker Weetabix Food, which it acquired for 1.2 billion pounds in one of the biggest foreign purchases by a Chinese food group.
Bright Food has said it expects its international sales to account for 25 percent of revenue by 2015, up from 15 percent now.
Bright Food Group has several listed subsidiaries including Bright Dairy & Food Co Ltd and Shanghai Jinfeng Wine Co Ltd.
"This has really just got going, and the two sides are in the process of talking and understanding one another," Bright Food spokesman Pan Jianjun told Reuters.
British private equity firm Apax Partners holds a 56 percent stake in dairy-focused Tnuva, and the potential deal could be worth around 10 billion yuan ($1.63 billion), a Chinese paper said.
Bright Food has acquired several foreign firms over the last few years, including New Zealand's Synlait Milk Ltd, Australia's Manassen Foods and France's Diva in a bid to expand its global reach.
The Chinese firm also owns a 60 percent stake in British cereal maker Weetabix Food, which it acquired for 1.2 billion pounds in one of the biggest foreign purchases by a Chinese food group.
Bright Food has said it expects its international sales to account for 25 percent of revenue by 2015, up from 15 percent now.
Bright Food Group has several listed subsidiaries including Bright Dairy & Food Co Ltd and Shanghai Jinfeng Wine Co Ltd.
