Baker McKenzie has represented Godiva Chocolatier, the Belgian manufacturer of gourmet chocolates, on its estimated $1.5 billion agreement to sell parts of its Asia-Pacific business to private equity firm MBK Partners, represented by Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.

According to Reuters, the deal includes Godiva’s operations in Japan, South Korea and Australia, and the production facility in Belgium supplying these regions. Godiva, owned by Turkey’s Yildiz Holding, will use the proceeds to finance diversification, including an expansion of its cafe business from 20 stores to more than 2,000 globally in the next six years.

The Baker McKenzie team was led by partners Jeremy White, Kensaku Takase, Dominique Maes, Francois Gabriel, Jean-Francois Vandenberghe, David Scott, Jannan Crozier, Jur Strobos and Tracy Wut.

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