General Mills, an international branded food company, was interested in expanding its non-U.S. business. Leveraging existing brand franchises and operational know-how could create shareholder value. One area targeted for growth was Mexico, where General Mills had a small cookie business in place.

Weinstein led the acquisition of Ferback, a chocolate confectionery company in Mexico. This acquisition leveraged General Mills’ existing sales force, with its presence in department stores where upscale chocolate products are sold, and capitalized on the growing taste in luxury food items in the Mexican middle class. Weinstein’s due diligence included an assessment of the Mexican market for consumer packaged foods, chocolate confectionery products, and socio-economic trends in Mexico. Weinstein oversaw the audit of Ferback’s books and interviewed the owner. Weinstein was also responsible for:

• Developing financial statement projections in pesos and translating them into U.S. dollars.
• Reviewing and approving the integration plan.
• Valuing the company.

Profits directly related to the Ferback acquisition tripled after integration. Additionally, new chocolate-covered cookie products were introduced after chocolate import restrictions were legally circumvented through this deal.