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Financial administration
An accurate financial administration provides you with the information you need to take the right decisions. The big advantage of a digital financial administration is that it provides insight into your most important financial processes at any time, whether this is the invoices, salary payments or bank changes.
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Financial insight
You want to take the right decisions, based on trustworthy and clear management information. You want to have access to all your financial data, 24/7, in order to determine your position and be able to adjust where necessary.
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Global compliance partnering
Outsourced compliance services comprises the total financial compliance of your business, in accounting, financial reporting, payroll, legal and various tax reporting obligations. We can make sure you don’t have to worry.
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Business risk services
Minimize risk, maximize predictability, and execution Good insights help you look further ahead and adapt faster. Whether you require outsourced or co-procured internal audit services and expertise to address a specific technology, cyber or regulatory challenge, we provide a turnkey and reliable solution.
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Corporate finance
Finding a suitable match at the most optimum terms. That, in a nutshell, aptly describes the objective of mergers and acquisitions. To most businesses mergers or acquisitions are not standard daily practice. It is, however, for the professionals at Grant Thornton! Seeking their services will add value instantly.
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Cyber risk services
What should I be doing first if my data has been kidnapped? Have I taken the right precautions for protecting my data or am I putting too much effort into just one of the risks? And how do I quickly detect intruders on my network? Good questions! We help you to answer these questions.
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Impact House
Building sustainability and social impact. That sounds good. But how do you go about it in the complex world of stakeholders, regulations and frameworks and changing demands from clients and society? How do you deal with important issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss?
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Transaction services
What will the net proceeds be after the sale? How do I optimise the selling price of my business or the price of one of my business activities? How do I capitalise on synergies following an acquisition? Am I not offering too much? These are all good questions when you’re buying or selling a business. It’s a transaction that concerns significant amounts, impacts your future, and therefore must be executed properly. We provide a solid foundation for your decisions.
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Valuation, investigation & dispute services
Do you require a fact finding investigation to help assess irregularities? Is it necessary to ascertain facts for litigation purposes?
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Auditing of annual accounts
You are answerable to others, such as shareholders and other stakeholders, with regard to your financial affairs. Financial information must therefore be reliable. What is more, you want to know how far you are progressing towards achieving your goals and what risks may apply.
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IFRS services
Financial reporting in accordance with IFRS is a complex matter. Nowadays, an increasing number of international companies are becoming aware of the rules. But how do you apply them in practice?
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ISAE & SOC Reporting
Our ISAE & SOC Reporting services provide independent and objective reports on the design, implementation and operational effectiveness of controls at service organizations.
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Pre-audit services
Pre-audit services is all about making the company’s entire financial administration ready for checking before the external accountant begins his/her audit of the annual accounts.
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SOx law implementation
The SOx legislation dictates that management is structurally accountable for reporting on the internal control relevant to the financial statements.
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International corporate tax
The Netherlands’ tax regime is highly dynamic. Rules and the administrative courts raise new challenges in fiscal considerations on a nearly daily basis, both nationally and internationally.
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VAT advice
VAT is an exceptionally thorny issue, especially in major national and international activities. Filing cross-border returns, registering or making payments requires specialised knowledge. It is crucial to keep that knowledge up-to-date in order to respond to the dynamics of national and international legislation and regulation.
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Customs
Importing/exporting goods to or from the European Union involves navigating complicated customs formalities. Failure to comply with these requirements usually results in delays. In addition, an excessively high rate of taxation or customs valuation for imports can cost you money.
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HR services
Do your employees determine the success and growth of your organisation? And are you in need of specialists which you can ask your Human Resources (HR) related questions? Human Resources (HR) related questions? Our HR specialists will assist you in the areas of personnel and payroll administration, labour law and taxation relating to your personnel. We provide you with high-quality personnel and payroll administration, good HR guidance and the right (international) advice as standard. All this, of course, with a focus on the human dimension.
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Innovation & grants
Anyone who runs their own business sets themselves apart from the rest. Anyone who dares stick their neck out distinguishes themselves even more. That can be rather lucrative.
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Tax technology
Driven by tax technology, we help you with your (most important) tax risks. Identify and manage your risks and become in control!
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Transfer pricing
The increased attention for transfer pricing places greater demands on the internal organisation and on reporting.
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Sustainable tax
In this rapidly changing world, it is increasingly important to consider environmental impact (in accordance with ESG), instead of limiting considerations to financial incentives. Multinational companies should review and potentially reconsider their tax strategy due to the constantly evolving social standards
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Pillar Two
On 1 January 2024 the European Union will introduce a new tax law named “Pillar Two”. These new regulations will be applicable to groups with a turnover of more than EUR 750 million.
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Cryptocurrency and digital assets
In the past decade, the utilization of blockchain and its adoption of a distributed ledger have proven their capacity to revolutionize the financial sector, inspiring numerous initiatives from businesses and entrepreneurs.
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Expand into new markets
Do you seek for opportunities in the global business arena? Whether you are about to open a new office in a foreign country or considering an international acquisition, you need certainty of making the right choices for your company. Global expansion isn’t always as simple as it sounds. The good thing is that we’re here to help!
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Expanding your business in the Netherlands
International expansion is an important step. The Netherlands can be your gateway to Europe for doing business abroad. But why you should choose the Netherlands?
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Global contacts
Wherever you choose to do business, you want access to people with the best ideas and critical thinking that will enable you to grow your business at home and abroad.
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Corporate Law
From the general terms and conditions to the legal strategy, these matters need to be watertight. This provides assurance, and therefore peace of mind and room for growth. We will be pro-active and pragmatic in thinking along with you. We always like to look ahead and go the extra mile.
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Employment Law
Small company or large multinational: in any company your people are of the utmost importance for your business. Employment brings with it many issues in many areas and often has legal consequences. For big strategic, but also for more everyday questions about employment law, our lawyers are ready to help you out. Also for questions about international employment law. Do you have your own HR department? We’ll gladly assist them. We deliver bespoke services and are there when you need us.
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Specialist Areas
Besides our focus on corporate and employment law, we also advise entrepreneurs on a range of (specialist) legal issues. A corporate acquisition, your company administration, complex question in the field of healthcare issues: you have come to the right place.
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Sustainable legal
Sustainability is more than a buzzword - it is the core of our legal advice towards sustainable success. From drafting sustainable contracts, integrating sustainable HR policies and ESG due diligence within our M&A practice to advising on ESG and other (national and international) legislation: we prefer to be pragmatic and proactive in helping your business.
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Maritime sector
How can you continue to be a global leader? The Netherlands depends on innovation. It is our high-quality knowledge which leads the maritime sector to be of world class.
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Growth in an international network
At Grant Thornton, you will benefit from the expertise and quality of colleagues around the world who will benefit your knowledge, advice and growth.
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Varied customer portfolio
The customer package at Grant Thornton varies from (large) SME customers to (small) corporate customers. From local customers to customers from the international network of Grant Thornton International Ltd. All this diversity in customers can also be recognized in your customer package.
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Culture
At Grant Thornton we combine a solid base with a flexible and results-driven mentality.
In our half-yearly dealtracker updates we analyse mergers and acquisitions for the food, beverage and agriculture sectors. We highlight the following aspects of this sectors from an M&A perspective:
- An overview of the Dutch transactions.
- A description of what is happening in terms of valuations and number of transactions.
- A further analysis in terms of geographies and sub-sectors.
2020 1st half year
COVID-19 halves deal activity in the sector
COVID-19 brought the world and the economy to a standstill. As a result, deal activity dropped to unseen levels. The number of deals in the first half of 2020 in Europe decreased by 52% compared to the first half of 2019. In addition to the disruptive effects of COVID-19, we still notice that consumers and their changing customer behaviour are driving and influencing M&A transactions. There is an increasing demand for healthy products, home delivery options, transparency and sustainability and personal experience and the willingness to pay for this.
2019 2nd half year
Answering sustainability demands drives deal activity in the sector.
Sustainability is a topic that is gaining more and more importance and attention, especially within the Food, Beverage & Agriculture sector. As concerns for healthy food products are increasing, so has the interest in artisanal and authentically made products. An example of a transaction answering this demands is the acquisition of Bister, producer of artisan made mustard, by Nature. The strategy of the Belgian buyer is to create strong and local brands.
Another trend that is driving deals in the sector is about companies restructuring their portfolios in order to answer sustainability demands. An example of this is the agreement of Nestlé to sell a 60% stake in Herta, their meat-processing participation, to Spain’s Casa Tarradellas.
2019 1st half year
Answering to increasing conscious consumer demands is the main deal driver in the sector
Within the Food, Beverage & Agriculture sector we observe an increased consumer demand for healthy food products coming from sustainable sources. The importance of brand names and price tags is replaced by telling the right story. In the first half of 2019 we observe this trend of conscious and sustainable innovations as the main driver for companies to be acquisitive. This trend is shown in the acquisition of EAT by Pret A Manger. With the acquisition Pret A Manger wants to offer more vegan and vegetarian options to their customers. Another example is the acquisition of Graze by Unilever, through which Unilever aims to further expand their portfolio of purpose-driven brands.
2018 4th quarter
Keeping up with latest trends by means of strategic acquisitions
We believe that large and traditional food companies will more often adapt to the latest consumer trends, such as natural, vegan and organic foods by means of strategic acquisitions. This enables them to capture the growing demand for such products while growing inorganically. A good example of this is the acquisition of The Vegetarian butcher by Unilever in Q4 of 2018.
2018 3rd quarter
Number of deals slightly decreasing but still a key economic sector in Europe
The number of transactions in the European Food, Beverage and Agriculture sector increased significantly the past few years, which seems to be stabilizing, as 2018 shows slightly lower deals and valuations than 2017 Q3. This is no surprise, due to the relatively explosive growth in deals and deal value over the past 5 years.
2018 2nd quarter
Transaction valuation multiples increasing
European transactions in the above-mentioned sectors stay behind in
the second quarter of 2018. With 126 transactions compared to
160 in Q2 of 2017, we conclude a significant decrease. As earlier
announced, there could be a stabilization in M&A activity after an
active and thriving deal making market in 2016 and 2017. Another
factor that could impact the amount of deals is the current political
environment. Concreteness surrounding the Brexit regulations is still
absent and less than 6 months remain until Britain leaves the
European Union on March 29, 2019. The deal making industry is also
affected by the uncertainties which are sparked by the trade war the
Americans are currently pursuing.
2018 1st quarter
Transaction valuation multiples increasing
European transactions in the abovementioned sectors stay behind in 2018 Q1, with 147 transactions (2017 Q1: 182). There could be a stabilization in M&A activity due to global (political) uncertainty after an active and buoyant deal making market in 2016.
If you have any queries related to transaction services, including mergers and acquisitions, company sale, valuation services, transaction due diligence and financing, please contact our .