Fortress to Buy Morrison for $8.7 Billion, May Start Bidding War

U.K. grocery chain had rejected earlier offer from CD&R
Real estate arm of Koch Industries is part of consortium

A Morrison Supermarkets Plc supermarket in Bradford, U.K., on June 21. — A Morrison Supermarkets Plc supermarket in Bradford, U.K., on June 21.
Photographer: Anthony Devlin/Bloomberg

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Ruth David and Deirdre Hipwell

July 3, 2021 at 6:39 AM UTC

Updated on

July 3, 2021 at 1:14 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

An investor consortium led by Fortress Investment Group agreed to buy Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc for about 6.3 billion pounds ($8.7 billion), potentially triggering a bidding war for one of the U.K.’s largest grocers.

The group has been in talks with Morrison since May and made five offers during the period, people familiar with the matter said. The supermarket chain said in June that it rejected a 5.5 billion-pound offer from Clayton Dubilier & Rice.