Amazon/Whole Foods wins Merger Control Matter of the Year - Americas at GCR Awards 2018

Amazon/ Whole Foods won merger control matter of the year - Americas at the GCR Awards 2018, beating nominees including Walgreens Boots Alliance/Rite Aid and Danone/White Wave. 

BMFBovespa/CETIP, CenturyLink/Level 3, Amazon/Whole Foods Danone/White Wave, Johnson & Johnson/Actelion, Smiths/Morpho and Walgreens Boots Alliance/Rite Aid were all shortlisted for the merger control matter of the year - Americas award.

But it was Amazon’s takeover of Whole Foods that ultimately took the award. When the deal was announced in June 2017, it sparked concerns over job losses and higher prices. A group of congressional democrats urged the US Department of Justice and FTC to undertake an in-depth review. While the union that represents many US grocery workers objected to the merger, alleging Amazon had a “monopolistic desire to control the retail market and replace good jobs with automation”, the FTC ultimately cleared the transaction – without taking it to in-depth review.

Counsel to Amazon

Sullivan & Cromwell

Partners Renata Hesse in Washington, DC, and Steven Holley in New York were assisted by associate Samantha Hynes in Washington, DC

Covington & Burling

Partner Thomas Barnett in Washington, DC

Blake, Cassels & Graydon

Partners Brian Facey, Micah Wood and Joshua Krane in Toronto were assisted by associate Julia Potter in Toronto

Counsel to Whole Foods

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Partner Damian Didden in New York

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

Partner Mark Katz in Toronto