Tag Archives: Consumer brands

Kinnevik to invest SEK 150 million in MatHem‘s SEK 500 million funding round, alongside leading pension company AMF

Kinnevik

Kinnevik AB (publ) (“Kinnevik”) today announced that it has committed to invest an additional SEK 150m in a funding round of approximately SEK 500m in MatHem. Also participating in the funding round is Swedish institutional investor AMF, investing SEK 280m to become MatHem’s third largest shareholder with an ownership stake of approximately 10%, as well as MatHem’s existing shareholders Verdane and Clas Ohlson.

MatHem is Sweden’s leading independent pure-play online grocery retailer with a strong household brand built over the past ten years. The company offers a broad range of grocery products and adjacent household consumables, catering to more than half of Swedish households.  With the additional investment of SEK 150m, Kinnevik has invested SEK 1.1bn in total in the company and has an ownership stake of 36%.

With more than SEK 650 billion in assets under management on behalf of four million customers, AMF is one of Sweden’s leading pension companies, one of the largest owners on Nasdaq Stockholm and one of Kinnevik’s largest shareholders. With the investment of SEK 280m AMF becomes MatHem’s third largest shareholder with a 10% ownership stake.

2019 was a transformative year for MatHem, focused on strengthening the organization to build a solid foundation for future growth. As part of the company’s growth ambitions, and to meet increasing customer demand, part of the raised capital will be used to fund the development of MatHem’s new environmentally certified warehouse in Larsboda, Stockholm. MatHem’s new CEO Johan Lagercrantz joined the company in December, bringing with him a breadth of experience from leading positions in the staffing industry and consumer services and a strong track-record of delivering tangible results. Furthermore, MatHem is today announcing two new independent board directors, Lidia Oshlyansky and Nina Jönsson.

Georgi Ganev, CEO of Kinnevik, commented: “MatHem continues to be at the forefront of the transformation in the grocery space, and a clear leader in its core market. We are delighted that AMF has decided to invest in the company and to be part of this journey. The funding round means that the company is well capitalized for the future, allowing Johan and his team to focus on growing the business and improving operational efficiency.”

Anders Oscarsson, Head of Equities at AMF, commented: “We are excited to invest alongside Kinnevik in MatHem as we share their conviction in the significant opportunity in transforming this large market. We have been impressed by the strong team at MatHem and their plans for the future.”

For further information, visit www.kinnevik.com or contact:

Torun Litzén, Director Investor Relations
Phone +46 (0)70 762 00 50
Email press@kinnevik.com

Kinnevik is an industry focused investment company with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our purpose is to make people’s lives better by providing more and better choice. In partnership with talented founders and management teams we build challenger businesses that use disruptive technology to address material, everyday consumer needs. As active owners, we believe in delivering both shareholder and social value by building long-term sustainable businesses that contribute positively to society. We invest in Europe, with a focus on the Nordics, the US, and selectively in other markets. Kinnevik was founded in 1936 by the Stenbeck, Klingspor and von Horn families. Kinnevik’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm’s list for large cap companies under the ticker codes KINV A and KINV B.

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Sun Capital Partners Affiliate Acquires West Dermatology

Sun Capital

Sun Capital Partners, Inc. (“Sun Capital”), a leading private investment firm focused on investing in market-leading companies, today announced that its affiliate has completed the acquisition of West Dermatology (“West” or “the Company”), a leading, clinical, cosmetic and research dermatology platform with 55+ clinic locations throughout Arizona, California and Nevada. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., West Dermatology is a rapidly growing practice management group focused exclusively on clinical research, medical dermatology services, and cosmetic dermatology. The Company offers more than 800,000 annual patients cosmetic and clinical expertise and continued care for common skin conditions, cancer prevention and remediation, elective cosmetic procedures as well as critical, specialty services such as dermatopathology, innovative research trials and Mohs microsurgery.

West Dermatology boasts a strong foundation in the healthcare community, including maintaining long-term membership and leadership participation with the American Academy of Dermatology, Skin Cancer Foundation, American College of Mohs Surgery, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

“Dermatology is a recession-resistant and growing industry within the broader retail health landscape, and West is a premier player poised to grow further in partnership with Sun Capital” said Marc Leder, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Sun Capital. “We are excited to begin working with CEO Chris Kane and his team and look forward to growing West organically and through continued best-in-class add-on acquisitions.”

West Dermatology has executed 22 acquisitions since 2016 and has recorded sustained multi-year organic growth at more than twice the industry rate as a portfolio company of Enhanced Healthcare Partners.

“Having undergone significant growth over the past five years, West is now at a point where we are prepared to leverage our core competencies to grow in partnership with Sun Capital,” said Kane. “We’re confident Sun Capital’s proven expertise will help us to enhance operations, and better fulfill our mission of serving each of our patients to the best of our ability, every day.”

“West is a true strategic platform that benefits from a carefully assembled portfolio of best-in-class providers, a strong management team prepared to execute an ambitious growth strategy, great strategic payor relationships, and a deep bench of clinical and cosmetic dermatologists recognized as true thought leaders,” added Daniel Florian, Managing Director at Sun Capital Partners. “With support from Sun Capital, West will accelerate its disciplined growth strategy and will further build on the Company’s legacy of excellence.”

For more information, please contact:

Emily Meringolo

Stanton

646-502-3559

emeringolo@StantonPRM.com

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CVC Credit Partners supports the expansion of Alline Salon Group

Funding supports Vison Growth Partners’ expansion of Alline Salon Group and assists its ongoing growth strategy

CVC Credit Partners is pleased to announce that it has provided the first lien funding for Vision Growth Partners’ expansion of Alline Salon Group and going forward will further support the growth strategy through the provision of a delayed draw term loan facility. Cowen’s Debt Advisory Group acted as the debt advisor for the transaction.

Founded in 2018, Alline is a market leader in affordable hair care services. It now operates nearly 400 salons under the Supercuts, Cost Cutters and Holiday Hair brands, primarily located across Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. The business was created by Vision Growth Partners, as a platform on which to execute a controlled roll up of Regis Corporation’s previously corporate-owned hair salons.

Michael Sarafa, Managing Partner at Vision Growth Partners, commented: “We are pleased to have teamed up with a lender which supports our vision for the growth of the business from both a strategic and financial perspective. CVC Credit was able to rapidly understand the intricacies of the business, which was key to the swift completion of the transaction.”

David DeSantis, Head of CVC Credit Partners’ U.S. Private Debt business, said: “Alline is a stable and attractive business, operating a successful franchise model in a recession resistant industry.” Andrew Eversfield, Director at CVC Credit Partners’ U.S. Private Debt, added: “Cowen was a great partner on this transaction, and we hold the Alline Management Team and VGP in high regard. We are excited to provide our support to help grow the business further in the years to come.”

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Moda Operandi raises $100 million in new capital

Apax Digital

31 January 2020

Equity Investment Led by New Enterprise Associates and the Apax Digital Fund 

New York – Jan 31, 2020: Moda Operandi, the world’s leading platform for fashion discovery, today announced it has raised $100 million in new equity and debt financing, led by existing investors New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA) and the Apax Digital Fund, with additional participation from the Santo Domingo Family, Comerica Bank and TriplePoint Capital, among others.

Moda Operandi raises $100 million in new capital

Moda will use the proceeds to continue to invest in its core client experience, innovative shopping model, unique curation of fashion, fine jewelry, and home decor, as well as the data and technology systems that power the Moda platform.

“For the past eight years, Moda has disrupted the way people shop for luxury fashion,” said Moda Operandi CEO Ganesh Srivats. “This investment will enable us to build on that innovation, investing further in the client and designer experience and connecting more of the world’s best fashion to more people.”

Dan O’Keefe, Managing Partner of Apax Digital, said: “We continue to be impressed with the power of Moda’s brand and its positioning in the luxury market. Moda has been enhancing its technology capabilities as a world leading platform for fashion discovery and is led by a world-class team. We look forward to continuing to support their expansion.”

“Moda Operandi has really disrupted the traditional ecommerce model, using technology to give people unprecedented access to fashion,” said Tony Florence, General Partner and Head of Technology Investing at NEA. “It was a really big idea when we led the Series A, and today Ganesh and the team are executing on that data-enabled retail model at scale. We are thrilled to continue supporting the company in this latest round.”

The new commitment brings Moda Operandi’s total equity capital raised to date to $345 million.

About Apax Digital

The Apax Digital Fund specializes in growth equity and buyout investments in high-growth enterprise software, consumer internet, and technology-enabled services companies worldwide. The Apax Digital team leverages Apax Partners’ deep tech investing expertise, global platform, and specialized operating experts, to enable technology companies and their management teams to accelerate the achievement of their full potential. For further information, please visit http://digital.apax.com.

Over its more than 40-year history, Apax Partners has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of c.$50 billion. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For more information see: www.apax.com.

About NEA

New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA) is a global venture capital firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build transformational businesses across multiple stages, sectors and geographies. With more than $20 billion in cumulative committed capital since the firm’s founding in 1977, NEA invests in technology and healthcare companies at all stages in a company’s lifecycle, from seed stage through IPO. The firm’s long track record of successful investing includes more than 230 portfolio company IPOs and more than 390 mergers and acquisitions. www.nea.com.

About Moda Operandi

Moda Operandi is an e-commerce platform transforming the way people discover and shop for designer fashion. Through its innovative mix of commerce and content, Moda allows women and men to shop for what’s new and what’s next in designer fashion from the world’s leading emerging designers and luxury brands. Founded in 2010, Moda Operandi’s mission is to make it easy for designers to grow their businesses and consumers to realize their personal style. Today, Moda’s platform carries more than 1,000 brands and designers across fashion, fine jewelry and home, and ships to 125 countries. For more information, visit modaoperandi.com.

Media Contacts:

Moda Operandi

Alexandra Valasek | alexandra.valasek@modaoperandi.com

Apax Digital / Apax Partners

Global Media: Andrew Kenny, Apax | +44 20 7 872 6371 | andrew.kenny@apax.com
U.S. Media: Todd Fogarty, Connor Moriarty, Kekst CNC | +1 212 521 4800 | Apax@kekstcnc.com
UK Media: Matthew Goodman / James Madsen, Greenbrook | +44 20 7952 2000 | apax@greenbrookpr.com

NEA

Kate Barrett | KBarrett@nea.com

 

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CVC Fund VII to acquire D-Marin’s businesses in Greece, Croatia and the UAE

Company is an operator of premium yacht marinas in the Mediterranean and United Arab Emirates

CVC Capital Partners announces that CVC Fund VII has agreed to acquire the Greek, Croatian and the UAE businesses of D-Marin, a leading operator of premium yacht marinas in the Mediterranean and United Arab Emirates (UAE), from the Doğuş Group, a leading Turkish conglomerate.

Headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, D-Marin, under concessions or management agreements, is an international operator of premium yacht marinas in Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Turkey and the UAE, with several new locations identified across its current geographical footprint and beyond. All marinas in Turkey (Turgutreis, Didim and Göcek) will remain under the ownership of Doğuş Group while managed by D-Marin.

István Szőke, Managing Partner at CVC Capital Partners, said: “As our first investment in the sector, we have been attracted to D-Marin given it is a geographically diversified operator of well-invested premium marinas in the Mediterranean and the UAE. Using CVC’s global network and experience in growing companies internationally, we intend to create the leading global premium marina operating company through both organic growth and acquisitions.”

Burak Baykan, CEO of D-Marin, commented: “I am proud of the success achieved by D-Marin to date. Working with Doğuş Group we have put in place a solid foundation, on which we will now plan to build a global group. We are delighted to have secured the support of CVC, a leading global investor, to expand D-Marin internationally and take the company to the next level.”

The transaction will be finalised upon fulfillment of relevant governmental approvals.

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Questel acquires NRI Cyber Patent

ik-investment-partners

Questel, the global intellectual property software and services company, has signed the acquisition of NRI Cyber Patent in Japan, an IP Business Intelligence and Intellectual Asset Management solutions provider.

As a market leader founded 25 years ago, NRI Cyber Patent has over 50 employees and 1,000 customers. With this acquisition, Questel is now deeply embedded in the Japanese community. Questel has been present in the Japanese marketplace since the 90s through various distribution agreements.

Three years ago, Questel accelerated its investments by acquiring ULT (Questel Japan today) and Multiling with its Japanese subsidiary. The acquisition of NRI Cyber Patent makes Questel the number one provider of IP software and services in Japan.

For more information, please visit www.questel.com

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Ardian sells Riemser to international pharmaceutical company Esteve

Ardian

Greifswald/Berlin/Frankfurt/Barcelona, 8 January 2020: Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, has come to an agreement to sell all the shares of the German pharmaceutical company RIEMSER to ESTEVE, an international pharmaceutical company headquartered in Barcelona. Financial details of the transaction will not be disclosed. The closing of the transaction is subject to antitrust approval and is expected in the first quarter of 2020.

RIEMSER is a provider of specialty pharmaceuticals in human medicine headquartered in Greifswald and Berlin. The Company has subsidiaries in Great Britain, France and Spain, and an international distribution network across more than 50 countries.

With the acquisition of RIEMSER, ESTEVE broadens its access to the fast-growing hospital market, in which RIEMSER is particularly successful. Today, RIEMSER generates about 80 percent of its sales with products for clinical application. Numerous RIEMSER drugs are considered ‘gold standard’.

Ardian acquired RIEMSER in 2012 and, together with the management team, successfully refocused the company on its core business of specialty pharmaceuticals, which it acquires, licenses, markets and distributes. Today, the company’s product portfolio comprises prescription drugs for the treatment of serious diseases in oncology, neurology, infectiology, as well as niche indications in cardiovascular medicine, dermatology, rheumatology and infectiology.

RIEMSER has divested from areas which are not part of its core business, such as the dental and veterinary business and the medical devices business. The proceeds were invested in the licensing and acquisition of products, the acquisition of companies in the specialty pharmaceuticals sector and the expansion of indications for existing products:

RIEMSER acquired Keocyt in France in 2014 and Intrapharm, based in England, in 2015. In 2016, the acquisition of the CNS division of Dolorgiet followed, whose products expanded the portfolio by the therapeutic area of neurology. In 2019, RIEMSER bought the Spanish distribution service provider Zaltanpharma, which has since been renamed RIEMSER Iberia.

In the area of drug approval and in–licensing, RIEMSER, among others introduced the active ingredient triamcinolone hexacetonide in Canada and concluded an agreement with the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai on the exclusive development and marketing rights for Prialt in Europe in 2018; in 2019 Keocyt received a new EU approval for Zanosar in eleven European countries.

Christof Naményi, Managing Director in the German Ardian Buyout team, said: “Ardian has extensive experience as an investor in the European healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceutical markets. We are pleased that we have been able to successfully leverage our expertise and network with RIEMSER, supporting the company’s acquisition strategy, corporate and organisational development, and executive recruitment. We would like to thank Konstantin von Alvensleben, his management team and all RIEMSER employees for the excellent cooperation and wish them all the best for the future.”

Konstantin von Alvensleben, CEO of RIEMSER, added: “When I joined RIEMSER in 2015, Ardian had already set the course for the further development of the company. I am pleased that since then we have been able to accelerate this process and together reached further milestones in the growth and internationalisation of the business. Ardian’s support was invaluable in achieving this. We are very proud that with Esteve, a strong family-owned pharma company with a long tradition, has chosen to acquire Riemser and we are looking forward to entering the next stage of our development. Being part of a much larger Group will support our joint growth. ”

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$96bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base.
Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.
Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 640 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of more than 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.
Ardian on Twitter @Ardian
www.ardian.com

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ClassPass raises $285 million to accelerate international growth and scale corporate program

Apax Digital

8 January 2020

L Catterton and the Apax Digital Fund Lead Series E Round 

NEW YORK, NY, January 8, 2020: ClassPass, the leading global fitness and wellness marketplace, today announced the close of a $285 million Series E investment. The round, which was led by L Catterton and Apax Digital, with additional participation by existing investor Temasek, follows the successful expansion by ClassPass into 28 countries and the signing of more than 1,000 leading employers into its corporate wellness program.

Founded in 2013, ClassPass pioneered the modern-day fitness and wellness marketplace. Today, ClassPass partners with more than 30,000 boutique studios, gyms and wellness providers, offering members access to the largest global network of wellness-inspired experiences. The investment will enable ClassPass, which now has over 650 employees across five continents, to continue rapidly scaling its proprietary reservation and booking technology across the globe. ClassPass’s superior model and technology have made it the marketplace of choice for providers who leverage ClassPass’ advanced machine learning capabilities to maximize their revenue and optimize utilization.

“We are motivated by the impact we’ve had on members and partners, including 100 million hours of workouts that have already been booked. This investment is a significant milestone that will further our mission to help people stay active and spend their time meaningfully,” says Founder and Executive Chairman Payal Kadakia.

As part of the investment, Marc Magliacano, Managing Partner at L Catterton’s Flagship Fund, and Daniel O’Keefe, Managing Partner at Apax Digital, will join the ClassPass Board of Directors.

“This fundraise is a reflection of our proven and sustained success in the U.S. and our rapid adoption internationally. In 18 months, we’ve scaled from 4 to 28 countries. Even in our recently launched European markets, our partners consistently call us their #1 driver of new customer reservations,” said Fritz Lanman, ClassPass CEO. “Our goal is to be the brand of choice and clear leader in every country we enter. This investment will allow us to expand more rapidly within existing geographies, add more countries to our network, and scale our corporate program globally. Additionally, I am thrilled to welcome two new board members with incredible domain expertise in digital subscription businesses and the fitness industry more broadly.”

L Catterton has deep experience working with leading fitness brands, including tech-enabled brands such as Peloton, Hydrow, and Tonal, as well as studio and fitness club brands, including Xponential Fitness, Equinox Holdings, Pure Barre, CorePower Yoga, Will’s Gyms (China), and BodyTech (Latin America). Apax has significant experience helping digital marketplace and consumer subscription businesses scale globally.

“As an investor in a number of highly respected studio and fitness club brands, we have seen firsthand how ClassPass providers and members mutually benefit from the ClassPass relationship,” said Mr. Magliacano. “ClassPass has continuously evolved its model to meet the changing needs of both partners and users. The ClassPass credits model, when combined with its A.I. tools, allows studios significant flexibility in monetizing their excess inventory and generates more revenue for studios than any other aggregator. We are confident that ClassPass is poised to grow into one of the most prominent wellness brands of the new decade and we couldn’t be more excited to continue to partner with Fritz and his team.”

“Apax has a long history of backing leading global marketplace businesses, and ClassPass is the tenth such investment to date. We’ve known the company since its early days and have been continually impressed by its global brand, attractive customer and studio value propositions, and history of explosive growth,” said Mr. O’Keefe. “We are excited to leverage the Apax global footprint to help ClassPass continue to accelerate its international traction.”

About ClassPass

Founded in 2013 by Payal Kadakia, ClassPass is the world’s most flexible network of fitness and wellness experiences. Members gain instant access to over 30,000 pre-vetted global exercise studios, which offer diverse fitness options including yoga, cycling, Pilates, strength training, boxing and more. In addition to workouts, members can instantly book inspiring wellness experiences, such as massages, acupuncture and spa treatments. ClassPass simplifies the discovery process, using machine learning to provide catered recommendations to each member based on their goals and preferences. ClassPass also lifts the fitness industry, working directly with studio partners to merchandise their excess inventory, find new customers and generate new streams of revenue. Learn more at http://classpass.com.

About LCatterton

With approximately $20 billion of equity capital across seven fund strategies in 17 offices globally, L Catterton is the largest consumer-focused private equity firm in the world. L Catterton’s team of more than 190 investment and operating professionals partner with management teams around the world to implement strategic plans to foster growth, leveraging deep category insight, operational excellence, and a broad thought partnership network. Since 1989, the firm has made over 200 investments in leading consumer brands. L Catterton was formed through the partnership of Catterton, LVMH, and Groupe Arnault. For more information about L Catterton, please visit www.lcatterton.com.

About Apax Digital

The Apax Digital Fund specializes in growth equity and buyout investments in high-growth enterprise software, consumer internet, and technology-enabled services companies worldwide. The Apax Digital team leverages Apax Partners’ deep tech investing expertise, global platform, and specialized operating experts, to enable technology companies and their management teams to accelerate the achievement of their full potential. Over its more than 40-year history, Apax Partners has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of $50 billion. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For more information see: www.apax.com.

About Temasek

Temasek is an investment company with a net portfolio value of US $231 billion (S$313 billion) as of March 31, 2019. Our Temasek Charter roles as an investor, institution and steward shape our investment stance, ethos and philosophy, to do well, do right and do good. Our investment philosophy is anchored around four key themes: Transforming Economies; Growing Middle Income Populations; Deepening Comparative Advantages; and Emerging Champions. We actively seek sustainable solutions to address present and future challenges, as we capture investment and other opportunities that help to bring about a better, smarter and more sustainable world. Headquartered in Singapore, we have 11 offices around the world, including New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg.

Media Contacts:

For ClassPass

Mandy Menaker | mandy.menaker@classpass.com

For L Catterton

Andrea Rose / Julie Oakes / Andrew Squire
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
+1 212-355-4449

For Apax Digital / Apax Partners

Global Media: Andrew Kenny, Apax | +44 20 7 872 6371 | andrew.kenny@apax.com

USA Media: Todd Fogarty, Kekst CNC | +1 212-521 4854 | todd.fogarty@kekstcnc.com

UK Media: Matthew Goodman / James Madsen, Greenbrook | +44 20 7952 2000 | apax@greenbrookpr.com

For Temasek

Paul Ewing-Chow | paulewingchow@temasek.com.sg

Aedan Lai | aedanlai@temasek.com.sg

 

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KKR to Acquire Leading Digital Reading Platform OverDrive

KKR

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 24, 2019– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire OverDrive, Inc. (“OverDrive” or the “Company”), the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools, from Rakuten USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rakuten, Inc. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191224005160/en/

Serving a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in more than 75 countries, OverDrive delivers the industry’s largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to millions of readers around the world. With its proprietary platform, the Company securely allows these institutions to acquire and manage premium and differentiated digital content from a strong publisher network OverDrive has built over more than 25 years.

“KKR is delighted to be investing in OverDrive, a premier digital content platform that serves libraries and library patrons around the world,” said Richard Sarnoff, Member at KKR. “OverDrive provides digital tools and services to libraries and schools so that they can lend the widest variety of digital books, audiobooks, and other materials, while at the same time respecting and compensating authors and publishers through the widest range of access models. It is a privilege to work with an industry leading team, including founder and CEO Steve Potash, on growing this special franchise in the decade to come.”

“At a time of accelerating digital adoption throughout libraries and schools, OverDrive offers its growing user base a best-in-class technology platform and reading experience – something we’re excited to be a part of,” said Ted Oberwager, Managing Director at KKR. “We look forward to working with the Company to further grow its portfolio and network, and continue to build on its status as a recognized leader in the digital content space.”

“OverDrive is very excited to work with the world-class KKR team due to their track record of accelerating digital media and technology businesses in global markets,” said Steve Potash, founder and CEO of OverDrive. “This provides access to an extraordinary network of capabilities to empower our institutional partners for the benefit of the communities and readers they serve.”

KKR has a long history of successfully investing in market-leading businesses in the digital media and content sectors. KKR’s recent and related investments include Epic Games, AppLovin, RBmedia, Pandora, WebMD, UFC, Leonine, BMG Rights Management, Next Issue Media, and Nielsen, among others.

KKR is making the investment in OverDrive from its KKR Americas XII Fund.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and LionTree Advisors served as financial advisors to KKR and Simpson Thacher and Bartlett served as legal advisor to KKR.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate and credit, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools worldwide. Named one of PCMag’s Best Free Software of 2019 and one of TIME’s Best Apps of 2018, the award-winning Libby is the “one-tap reading app” for libraries. Sora, the student reading app, was honored as one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2019. We are dedicated to “a world enlightened by reading” by delivering the industry’s largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in 76 countries. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com

Source: KKR

KKR:
Kristi Huller or Cara Major
212.750.8300
Media@KKR.com

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ARDIAN acquires Cérélia, a leading transatlantic provider of innovative Bakery Solutions from IK INVESTMENT PARTNERS

ik-investment-partners

Paris and New York, December 19, 2019 – Ardian, a world leading private investment house, announced today that it is acquiring Cérélia (“the Company”), from the IK VII Fund, advised by IK Investment Partners (“IK”).  Cérélia is a leading transatlantic provider of innovative bakery solutions with a product portfolio including ready-to-bake pie and pizza dough, pancakes, crepes and cookies.  The Company’s products provide consumers with a wholesome and convenient baking experience.  The management team, led by Guillaume Réveilhac, will own a meaningful stake alongside Ardian.

Headquartered in Paris, Cérélia employs over 1,600 people, operates 12 facilities across Europe and North America, sells its products in more than 50 countries around the world and generates nearly €500 million of revenue.  The Company traces its roots to Alsacienne de Pâtes Ménagères, which in 2012 merged with Eurodough to form Cérélia.  In 2015, the Company and IK broadened its strategy through the acquisition of de Bioderij, which extended its product portfolio into pancakes and crepes and launched the Company into the North American and Asian markets.  Over the past three years, Cérélia also acquired two complementary businesses, English Bay Batter and Bakeaway, to further expand its product portfolio and geographic reach, most notably throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Cérélia has experienced a tremendous track record of growth in Europe due to its focus on quality, impeccable service and new product innovation – including a range of organic, gluten-free and wholesome products – alongside an ambitious, yet thoughtful acquisition strategy.  Today, Cérélia holds leadership positions in multiple core European markets and is rapidly building a portfolio of innovative bakery products in North America.

Cérélia has an unwavering commitment to sustainability, utilising farming practices that promote biodiversity, local production whenever possible and green energy to reduce its carbon footprint.  Furthermore, the Company’s continued prioritisation of innovative production practices and reduction of packaging materials will support the growth of disruptive new product opportunities.

Guillaume Réveilhac, Founder and CEO of Cérélia, said: “The Cérélia team is delighted to begin this new chapter in the company’s development, and we thank the IK team for their support and guidance over the last five years.  Together we have dramatically grown Cérélia to become a leader in the European bakery segment. We are excited to partner with Ardian as the team has a strong collaborative approach, a core skill set and an extensive network. We were also convinced by Ardian’s primary business philosophy, a set of values that we also share. Our common goal is founded on two aspects: first, strengthen our position on our core-business – refrigerated dough, crepes and pancakes – and second, invest in expanding into adjacent segments and extending our geographic reach.”

Mr. Réveilhac continued: “Over the past ten years, Cérélia has managed to open its capital to a number of employees. We will continue this with Ardian. Our management team is committed to our strategy and has made a significant investment alongside Ardian. I would like to thank our employees for their commitment, support and professionalism, which every day helps contribute to the quality of service we provide to our clients.”

Thibault Basquin, Head of Americas Investments for the Ardian Buyout Fund, said: “We are proud to invest alongside management as we accelerate Cérélia’s growth in Europe and North America. Its undisputed market position in Europe, quality of customer relationships and history of growth reflect the strength of the management team, the employees and the overall commitment to a culture of excellence.  In particular, Ardian is excited to partner with Guillaume Réveilhac and Walter Kluit to drive Cérélia’s organic growth and acquisition strategy. We firmly believe that the Company’s innovative products, use of technology and sustainability initiatives make Cérélia a leader in the bakery category.”

Rémi Buttiaux, Partner at IK Investment Partners and advisor to the IK VII Fund commented: “We have been delighted to help Guillaume Réveilhac and his team transform Cérélia into the global leader it is today. Under our ownership, Cérélia doubled its size in four years, and further developed its product range along with its international footprint through three acquisitions.  The Group’s unique know-how coupled with its manufacturing competitive edge will enable it to smoothly transition into its new development phase.”

Cérélia is the seventh investment of Ardian’s Buyout team in 2019.  With 50 employees across seven offices in Europe and New York, the buyout team invests in high-quality mid- and large-cap companies, applying transformational strategies to become world leaders in their niche markets.

ABOUT Cérélia

Formed in 2012 by merging Alsacienne de Pâtes Ménagères (“APM”, founded in 1994) and Eurodough (former Sara Lee International Bakery division, created in 1974), Cérélia is a leading manufacturer of fresh, ready-to-bake dough solutions for pie and pizza, as well as ready-to-heat pancakes, crepes, cookies and cookie dough.

Thanks to (i) sustained organic growth over many years, driven by a relentless focus on product quality, service levels, and new product innovation (such as the introduction of organic, gluten-free and wholesome products) and (ii) an ambitious, yet thoughtful M&A strategy, Cérélia has become the leader in the European market. In 2015, the Company broadened its strategy through the acquisition of de Bioderij, which extended its product portfolio into pancakes and crepes and launched the Company into the North American and Asian markets. Through the acquisition of Bakeaway in 2016 and English Bay Batter in 2017, Cérélia expanded its presence in the United Kingdom and North America while further diversifying its product portfolio. The Company has meaningful market shares in the private label segment, manufacturing for some of the largest brands in the world alongside its own family of brands, which regularly introduce innovative new products.

www.cerelia.com

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$96bn managed or advised in Europe, North America, Asia, and South America. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base.

Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.

Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 640 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of more than 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.

www.ardian.com

ABOUT IK INVESTMENT PARTNERS

IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan-European private equity firm focused on investments in the Nordics, DACH region, France, and Benelux. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €10 billion of capital and invested in over 130 European companies. IK funds support companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects.

www.ikinvest.com

PARTICIPANTS

Ardian: Thibault Basquin, Emmanuel Miquel, Christopher Sand, Giorgio Cicala, Maxime Debost

Legal advisor: Latham & Watkins (Gaëtan Gianasso, Bénédicte Bremond, Marine Bazé (corporate), Xavier Renard (tax))

Commercial and strategic advisor: AT Kearney (Jérôme Souied, Nicholas Veg)

Financial advisor: Accuracy (Frédéric Loeper, Romain Proglio, Quentin Mutschler)

Debt advisor: Lazard (François Guichot-Perere, Jean-Philippe Bescond, Emmanuel Plantin)

M&A advisor: Oddo BHF Corporate Finance (Frédéric de Villèle, Thomas Devineau)

IK Investment Partners: Remi Buttiaux, Dan Soudry, Diki Korniloff, Thibaut Richard, Deborah Collignon

Legal advisor: Wilkie Farr & Gallagher (Eduardo Fernandez, Gregory de Saxce)

Financial advisor: EY (Daniel Benquis, Stephanie Merle-Mortel)

M&A advisor: BNP Paribas (Sylvina Mayer, Marc Walbaum, Alban Bouley)

Cérélia Exexutive Committee: Guillaume Réveilhac, Walter Kluit, Bernd Homann, Grégoire Julien, Claude Le Bourg

Management advisors: The Silver Company (Stephane Argyropoulos), Callisto (Charles de Rozières, Tancrède Caulliez), Gide (Jean-François Louit, Caroline Lan)

PRESS CONTACTS

Cérélia

Marianne Szychowski

Executive Assistant to the President

Tél :  +33 (0)3 21 72 75 75

Mob: +33 (0)6 32 99 80 93

mszychowski@cerelia.com

ARDIAN

Emma Murphy / Charlie Mathon

Tel: (347) 968-6800 / (508) 614-0667

ardian@neibartgroup.com

IK INVESTMENT PARTNERS

France:

CTCom

Sibylle Descamps

Tel: +33 (0)6 82 097 007

sibylle.descamps@ct-com.com

International:

Maitland

James McFarlane

Tel: +44 (0)7584 142 665

jmcfarlane@maitland.co.uk

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