Bunge seals merger with Viterra, forming global powerhouse in agribusiness

Bunge has finalized its merger with Viterra, completing a deal that creates one of the world’s largest and most integrated agribusiness companies with the capacity to connect farmers in key production regions to rapidly growing consumer markets around the globe.

Bunge, headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, confirmed on 2 July that it had closed the transaction first announced last year. Greg Heckman, Bunge’s Chief Executive Officer, described the merger as a pivotal moment for the firm’s future. “Today is a defining moment for our company and our global team as we complete this transformative business combination,” Heckman said. “I’m grateful to our colleagues whose energy, collaboration and commitment brought us to this milestone. Together, we’ve formed a stronger organization with enhanced capabilities and expertise to meet the evolving needs of our customers, maximize value for our stakeholders and fulfil our shared purpose to connect farmers to consumers to deliver food, feed and fuel to the world. Now, we begin the exciting work of bringing our teams and operations together, uniting our strengths to realize the full potential of this combination.”

The combined company positions itself as a global agribusiness solutions leader spanning food, feed and fuel markets. It aims to leverage a wider network of assets and operations that the companies say will allow them to better serve both producers and customers in a complex and increasingly interconnected marketplace.

According to Bunge, one of the key advantages of the merger is the significantly expanded network of infrastructure and assets, which stretches across major grain and oilseed origination regions, transportation corridors, and key export facilities. By bringing these resources under one roof, the company believes it will be better able to link agricultural production hubs directly with the fastest-growing consumption regions, improving logistics and efficiency.

Another factor that Bunge highlights is the improved ability to manage supply chains under challenging global conditions. The merger is designed to create a better balance across value chains and geographies, giving the company access to more key origination markets and a diversified agriculture network that covers all major crops. This breadth, Bunge suggests, will help it serve end customers even amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, climate risks and changing consumer demands.

Financially, the merger is expected to strengthen Bunge’s business profile and reduce risk exposure. The combined organization anticipates significant benefits from network synergies, vertical integration, and increased trading flexibility arising from a larger footprint. Executives say these efficiencies could translate into more stable cash flows over time, as well as lower costs of capital due to a stronger credit profile and broader diversification.

Leadership of the new entity combines key figures from both organizations. Heckman continues as Chief Executive Officer, while John Neppl remains as Chief Financial Officer. Viterra’s Chief Executive Officer David Mattiske has joined the Bunge Executive Leadership Team as Co-Chief Operating Officer, alongside Julio Garros, who previously served as Bunge’s Co-President of Agribusiness. Together, Mattiske and Garros will oversee core commercial activities, including global commodity value chains, country and regional management, renewable fuels projects, regenerative agriculture initiatives and industrial operations and safety.

The deal marks a significant reshaping of the global agribusiness landscape, coming at a time when food security, climate change and supply chain resilience are top priorities for both governments and private industry. By merging operations, Bunge and Viterra seek to navigate these challenges with a more comprehensive suite of services and a larger global footprint.

Throughout the transaction, Bank of America Securities acted as financial advisor to Bunge, while Latham & Watkins LLP provided legal counsel.

While terms of the merger’s financial valuation were not included in Bunge’s latest announcement, analysts have previously estimated the deal’s value in the range of US$8 billion to US$10 billion, including debt, though final figures could differ depending on adjustments and regulatory approvals in different jurisdictions.

The combined company now sets its sights on integrating teams, operations and systems. For Bunge, which traces its roots back over two centuries, the merger represents not only a significant expansion in scale but also a strategic bet on the future of global agricultural trade and the increasing demands of feeding a growing world population.

Heckman underscored the path ahead as the merged business begins to operate as a single entity. “Now, we begin the exciting work of bringing our teams and operations together, uniting our strengths to realize the full potential of this combination,” he said.