The Landora Group, owned by Barak Abramov, has acquired 40% of the candy world chain of convenience stores. According to estimates, the deal was made at a value of NIS 13 million to the world of sweets. The Landora Group, whose IPO is being considered on the stock exchange, was founded in 2006 and specializes in restaurants, mainly in the format of operating restaurants through franchisees. It owns the Jafnica, Soso & Sans, Giro Sushi, Yogo chains, the Pinky candy chain that competes in the candy world, Pizza Don Pardo, and the Zippora skewer chain – which together have 120 branches for all brands. Landora also has a food production plant (and Abramov is also the owner of the Bnei Yehuda football team).
In the deal, Abramov swallows a long-standing competitor: the candy world chain, owned by Nissan Yehezkel, was established 25 years ago with its first stand in the Ayalon Mall. It owns the worlds of sweets, Jerusalem nuts, Candyland, and Market Express. Today, the candy world operates 70 branches in malls, power centers and small shopping centers, and has signed contracts to open 20 new stores. The chain is growing relatively fast and is opening branches at a rate of once every two months. The chain sells sweets, tobacco products, cigarettes, soft drinks and snacks, and it has an annual turnover of more than NIS 100 million a year.
Yehezkel, who is also the franchisee of Golda Ice Cream in Jerusalem, told Calcalist that the world of sweets is expected to reach 100 points of sale: “As part of business management, I was looking for a strategic partner who will strengthen the chain “Signed. The network will reach 100 points. The great advantage of such connections is that we can expand the network without the need to increase the headquarters.”
The current deal is reminiscent of the purchase of the Little Switzerland candy and food chain. In January 2020, the Kopix chain controlled by Rami Levy acquired Little Switzerland, which had four branches, for NIS 18 million. At the time of the acquisition, Little Switzerland had a sales turnover of NIS 67 million. Today, Little Switzerland has three branches.
Little Switzerland sells mostly self-imported sweets, but operates as a minimarket and also sells grocery products, frozen products, birthday products and disposable utensils.