Novozymes A/S (CPSE:NZYM B) agreed to acquire Chr. Hansen Holding A/S (CPSE:CHR) for DKK 80.7 billion on December 12, 2022. Subject to completion of the Merger, Chr. Hansen will be dissolved, and its shares will be removed from admission to trading and official listing on Nasdaq Copenhagen. The Merger Plan was signed by the Boards of Directors of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen simultaneously with the signing of the Merger Agreement. The completion is subject to, inter alia, approval by the extraordinary general meetings of Novozymes and Chr.Hansen, respectively, as well as customary merger control and other regulatory approvals from relevant authorities. As of March 28, 2023 the statutory pre-closing suspensory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"), with respect to the merger agreement and merger plan between Novozymes and Chr. Hansen has expired. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q4 2023 or in Q1 2024. Together, the two companies can achieve annual sales synergies of over DKK 1487 million. As of March 30, 2023, shareholders of Novozymes have approved the combination. As of September 4, 2023, The Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation has approved the transaction. As of September 18, 2023, the transaction has been approved by SA's Competition Commission. As of October 20, 2023, the Company sought EU antitrust regulators approval for the merge to be decided by November 28, 2023. As of December 12, 2023, EU antitrust regulators has given a conditional approval. As of December 20, 2023, the Korea Fair Trade Commission has unconditionally approved the deal. The transaction is expected to complete during first quarter of 2024. On January 26, 2024, following a separate purchaser approval process conducted by the European Commission, the European Commission has formally approved Kerry Group plc as the purchaser for the remedy approved by the European Commission. The Completion of the Combination is expected to take place on January 29, 2024.

Danske Bank A/S, Kasper Dichow, Fredrik Segenmark, Torben Hansen, Henrik Brødsgaard, Peter Bladt and Niclas Herstal of Nordea Danmark, Filial af Nordea bank AB (Publ) FINLAND and Gordon Dyal & Co. Advisory Group LP acted as financial advisors and Plesner Advokatpartnerselskab, Linklaters LLP and Connie I. Milonakis, Joseph Scrace and Will Pearce of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as legal advisors of Novozymes. Goldman Sachs International acted as financial advisor and Baker & McKenzie LLP and Gorrissen Federspiel I/S acted as legal advisor of Chr. Hansen. Caroline B. Gottschalk and Jakob Rendtorff of Simpson Thacher Represents Gordon Dyal & Co. as Financial Advisor to Novozymes.

Novozymes A/S (CPSE:NZYM B) completed the acquisition of Chr. Hansen Holding A/S (CPSE:CHR) on January 29, 2024. The last trading day of Chr. Hansen Holding's share on Nasdaq Copenhagen with under the symbol "CHR" is January 30, 2024.