NPM Capital’s Neerlands Glorie investment fund has failed in its efforts to buy the Verkade biscuit group. The UK’s Premier Foods says it has received a higher offer from US investment fund Blackstone.

Neerlands Glorie is attempting to buy up a string of food companies with strong Dutch roots. It already owns vegetable processor Hak and gherkin maker Koeleman among others.
Britain’s Dought Hanson & Co is the latest in a string of investment groups to seek a listing on the Amsterdam stock exchange. Dought, which focuses primarily on property and technology funds, is aiming to raise €1 bn. Sweden’s EQT is also rumoured to be interested.
Amsterdam’s stock-exchange listed football club Ajax is hoping to get in on the rage for all things Chinese through a tie-up with a Chinese club, general manager Maarten Fontein told the Parool. ‘China is an interesting market,’ he told the paper. ‘Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have noticed it as well. But, unlike them, we want an alliance with a club. Ajax wants a deeper involvement than simply a visit by its top team.’