Veritas Investments, the owner of the Mad Butcher business in New Zealand, is poised to spend $3.4 million in combined cash and shares to acquire a stake in the local Burger King patty supplier Kiwi Pacific Foods.

US-based private equity firms Carlyle Group and KKR & Co and Australian investment firm Archer Capital have advanced in the sale of Transpacific Industries Group's waste management business. The three firms are working with banks to put together loan packages to back their bids.

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (IAG) bought the Australian and New Zealand underwriting business of Western Australia's farmers' cooperative Wesfarmers Ltd for $1.845 billion.

New Zealand-based express package services provider Freightways Limited has purchased two document destruction businesses, namely Sydney-based Advance Security Destruction Services and Hastings-based Docushred, for a total of USD13 million.

New Zealand-based tertiary textbook firm Bennetts Group has bought the assets of travel and accommodation guide publisher Jasons Travel Media in a deal with undisclosed financial details.

Telecom Corp Ltd has offloaded its Australian AAPT unit to TPG Telecom Ltd UDS450 million to initially repay debt and focus on its operations in New Zealand.

The shares of Australia-based electronics seller Dick Smith Holdings Ltd lifted on its debut on Wednesday after securing USD315 million in its initial public offering.

Italy-based Barilla family, the founders of the biggest company pasta in the world, have shelled out USD25 million to acquire a South Island dairy farm.

Australia-based IDP Education, the world's largest provider of international student placement, is considering the sale of its shares through an initial public offering (IPO) in 2014.

Singapore-based fund manager Duxton Asset Management purchased a 50% in seven cattle and sheep farms in Otago, New Zealand, and is looking for further investments in the country.