RLPC-Russia's Wimm-Bill-Dann syndicates debut $250 mln loan

LONDON, March 7 (Reuters) - Russian dairy and juice producer Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods (WBD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has launched syndication of a debut $250 million, three-year syndicated term loan via underwriting banks ABN AMRO, ING and Calyon, the lenders announced on Friday.

The deal, which will be used to refinance a long-term Eurobond that matures in May, as well as for general corporate purposes, pays a margin of 175 basis points over LIBOR.

The company is a leading producer of dairy, baby food and beverage products in Russia and central and eastern Europe.

Wimm-Bill-Dann, which has 36 processing plants in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and central Asia, reported sales of around $1.8 billion in the first nine months of 2007.

The company, which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, is rated BB- by Standard and Poor's and Ba3 by Moody's. (Reporting by Christopher Mangham; Editing by David Holmes)