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Hershey closes $135 mln buy of Nabisco mints and gum ops 

Hershey Foods Corp. the top U.S. chocolate maker, on Friday said it completed the $135 million acquisition of Nabisco Holdings Corp.'s breath freshener mints and gum operations.

The deal puts Nabisco's popular Ice Breakers and Breath Savers mint brands in Hershey's basket, and also adds the Ice Breakers, Care*free, Stick*free, Bubble Yum and Fruit Stripe gum brands to Hershey's Rain Blo and Super Bubble brands.

As part of the deal, Hershey also bought a gum-manufacturing plant in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.

The transaction, originally announced on Nov. 6, depended on Philip Morris Cos. Inc.'s purchase of Nabisco Holdings, which was completed on Monday.

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