Shearman & Sterling is advising Mizkan Holdings Co., Ltd. in its $2.15 billion acquisition of Unilever’s portfolio consisting of the Ragú brand and Bertolli brand of pasta sauce products.

Mizkan is a 210-year old privately held international food manufacturer based in Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Mizkan has a stable of well-known international brands under the "Mizkan" umbrella brand and is a leader in the liquid condiment category. Mizkan has operating facilities around the globe, including Japan, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The Ragú and Bertolli brand portfolio is the single largest branded pasta sauce producer and distributor in the United States. Ragú is the number one brand across all key consumer metrics, with strong brand appeal and recognition, a diversified product range and broad distribution channels. Bertolli has the second largest market share in the premium price tier.

The Team