Consumer specialist private equity firm Bluegem Capital Partners today announces that Bluegem III, through its portfolio company Béaba, has acquired a majority stake in Suavinex, a premium Spanish baby care brand.
Headquartered in Spain, the group is recognised for high quality and innovative baby products focused on baby bottles, soothers and personal care for babies and mothers. The business has manufacturing operations in Slovakia and Spain as well as an in-house team of engineers and technicians who have developed a wide range of worldwide patented products.
Suavinex was established in 1980 and in 1988 pioneered the launch of a revolutionary weaning product, the three position teat system, making it possible to adapt the flow of liquid from the bottle to the baby’s rate of sucking and type of food. In 2018 the business released Zero-Zero, an innovative product range of anti-colic baby bottles and soothers utilising patented technology and founded on the principles of medical benefits.
While most of the sales are in Spain, via a team of direct sales agents locally, the business has dedicated sales teams also in Italy, France and China, in addition to sales through distributors globally. In tandem the business has a strong and growing digital presence and a loyal customer base willing to repurchase and recommend the brand. The business benefits from an end to end vertically integrated business model allowing for full control over the entire value chain.
Suavinex is acquired by Bluegem’s third generation fund which held its final close in February of this year and has already made five investments in a diversified portfolio of resilient consumer subsectors. The combination of Suavinex and Béaba will establish a leading European company in the baby care sector, with a global footprint and a strong focus on feeding newborns to 24-month-old babies.
Commenting on the acquisition, Julien Laporte, CEO at Beaba and Operating Partner at Bluegem said:
“We firmly believe in the quality of Suavinex products and in its leadership position in the Spanish market. We are excited by the opportunity to consolidate two fantastic brands and look forward to creating a European leader in the baby care sector, focused on feeding and personal care.”
Mathieu Develay, Partner at Bluegem said:
“Suavinex is a great addition to Bluegem III and our portfolio of resilient consumer brands. We see premium baby care, especially the feeding and personal care segments, as core components of non-discretionary demand: parents don’t compromise on quality when providing for their babies. By combining two premium brands in this space, Béaba and Suavinex, we see a strong opportunity to drive growth and value, from a safe and stable base.”
Juan Ramón García, CEO at Suavinex commented:
“Suavinex is a leading “love brand” in the Spanish newborn and personal care market, developing and marketing high quality and innovative products. The integration into the Peek-a-Boo Group (Beaba) will strengthen Suavinex presence in international markets, continuing the company’s strategy initiated 10 years ago, and will enhance the value of its manufacturing facilities located in Spain and Slovakia. Our aim, with this alliance, is to create one of the most important European groups in baby care and personal care.”
About Bluegem Capital Partners LLP
Bluegem is a specialist private equity firm investing in brands underpinned by non-discretionary demand and megatrend tailwinds. Bluegem utilise a proprietary artificial intelligence toolkit alongside an experienced team of investment professionals to accelerate business growth. Bluegem have a track record of partnering with management teams across Europe through different economic cycles and market conditions, focusing on resilient consumer segments including: Beauty and Personal Care; Household Care; Food and Beverage; Baby Care; Pet Care; and Hobby and Craft. More information about Bluegem can be found at www.bluegemcp.com.
