South Africa’s antitrust commission seeks to revoke Premier-RFG merger approval

RFG: RFG Holdings Ltd. is a significant South African packaged food company focused on canning and processing operations. It was the target in the merger with Premier Group that received conditional approval in March. The firm, along with Premier, is under scrutiny for not disclosing contemplated changes to production facilities prior to the deal's clearance. Premier: Premier Group Ltd. is a major South African packaged food producer with brands including Snowflake, Blue Ribbon, and Rhodes. It pursued and completed the acquisition of RFG Holdings earlier in 2026. The company is now facing regulatory action over its handling of information related to a planned facility closure during the merger review. South African Antitrust Commission: The Competition Commission of South Africa is the primary regulatory authority responsible for enforcing competition law and overseeing mergers in the country. It evaluates proposed transactions for potential impacts on market competition and public interest factors such as employment. In this development, the commission filed an application to revoke conditional approval of the Premier-RFG merger after determining that key post-deal plans had been withheld during the review process. Industry Practice: Merger approvals in South Africa often include conditions aimed at protecting jobs and maintaining production capacity in key agricultural processing areas. Regulatory Scrutiny: South African competition authorities are enforcing strict disclosure requirements in merger reviews, particularly for deals involving potential facility closures and employment effects in the food sector.