Nordic Business Report-November 30, 2006-Finnish Fazer Group buys Russian catering company (C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com Finnish meals, bakery products and confectionary company Fazer Group said on Thursday (30 November) that it is buying Russian catering company Abela Service CIS in St Petersburg. Abela Service has experience in staff restaurants within the private sector in St Petersburg. With the deal Fazer is launching its operations in the food service business in Russia. Abela Service will become a wholly owned daughter company of Fazer Amica Russia, and it will later be merged with the mother company. Abela has 70 employees and among their customers are the Finnish owned Elcoteq and Nokian Renkaat. Fazer Group, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, offers meals, bakery products and confectionery and operates in a total of nine countries. Fazers most important associated company is Cloetta Fazer AB. Fazer Groups turnover for 2005 was EUR986m and the company employs some 15,000 people. One British pound (GBP) is worth approximately 1.49 euros (EUR). ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected]))