Takeover plans for Deoleo are gathering pace: according to reports in the Italian business newspaper Italia Oggi the olive oil producer Pietro Coricelli submitted an increased offer of €500 million for Deoleo on 15 August 2026 and also requested exclusive negotiating rights. Spanish media, including elDiario.es citing Europa Press, picked up the report. It has not, however, been officially confirmed.
So far, the only binding information is a notice Deoleo sent to the Spanish stock market regulator CNMV on 19 August 2026. In it, the company, whose brand portfolio is most often associated in media coverage with Carbonell and Bertolli says that its main shareholders are reviewing “possible strategic alternatives”. These include both a sale of the entire company and the sale of individual assets. Deoleo also stresses that no final decision has been made. The document does not confirm any specific offers, bidders or exclusivity agreements.
According to media reports, the Spanish industry player is being contested by Italian bidder Coricelli and domestic companies Dcoop and Acesur. Italia Oggi previously put their offers at around €470 million and €460 million respectively. The same reports say that KPMG together with William Blair is advising on the sale process and that Coricelli was excluded from the process before submitting its counteroffer. Against this backdrop, the – as yet unconfirmed – demand for exclusivity could be seen as an attempt to speed up the process and exclude other bidders.
The mix of press reports and the formal CNMV notice caused sharp price movements on Spanish stock markets: on 19 August 2026, Europa Press reported that Deoleo shares had at one point risen by nearly 17 per cent. This points to market expectations that a structural move – whether a full sale or disposals – is drawing closer, although the outcome remains uncertain.
For Spain’s olive oil sector, a sale to an Italian competitor or consolidation with Dcoop or Acesur would have different strategic implications, from combining brands to sourcing raw materials. However, until Deoleo, its advisers KPMG and William Blair, or potential buyers publicly announce exclusivity or a binding offer, the situation remains: review under way, intense competition among bidders, but no decision. Any confirmed change in status would be expected to be disclosed promptly and would trigger further regulatory notices to the CNMV.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).