Fremantle-based livestock export giant Wellard Group’s shipping and land division have attracted strong interests from wealthy investors in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, according to industry insiders.

The big debuts of returnees Hilton Worldwide and Aramark signaled their turnaround from firms that had been controlled by private equity firms to partially-independent companies.

United States' Hagelin & Co. has been sold to Israeli flavorings and specialty ingredients firm Frutarom Industries for $52.4 million. Frutarom finance the deal through a short-term bank loan.

German frozen food products supplier Hofmann Menu Manufaktur has been sold to Switzerland-based private equity firm Partners Group AG. Financial terms of the deal, however, remains unknown.

Chicago steak and seafood supplier Allen Brothers has been sold to publicly-traded specialty food products distributor Chefs' Warehouse Inc. for $29.9 million. Under the deal, Chefs' Warehouse will be paying $20 million in cash and $9.9 million in debt.

Aliko Dangote, the richest man in Africa and Chief Executive of Nigerian company Dangote Group, plans to invest around $16 billion in cement, agriculture, and petrochemicals project in 18 countries over the next four years.

The New York Times said private equity investors of Oriental Brewery in South Korea could stand to gain a 34% annualized return on their original investment of the brewery.

San Francisco-based smart kitchen company The Orange Chef has received $1.2 million in funding from Google Ventures and Sparklabs Global Ventures to develop more connected kitchen devices.

Food services provider Aramark Holdings Corp raised $725 million from its initial public offering after its shares were priced at the low end of its planned $20 to $23 price range, an underwriter told Reuters.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Wednesday, including Fortum, National Vision, Saipem, CTT, MTS, Southern Pacific, Warrnambool, Verbund, Bakkafrost, Popular and Marathon Oil.