Pinnacle Foods has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Birds Eye Foods from a holding company controlled by Vestar Capital Partners, Pro-Fac Cooperative and Birds Eye management in a transaction valued at USD1.3bn.  Birds Eye Foods owns consumer brands in frozen vegetables and meals such as Birds Eye, Birds Eye

Arma Partners has acted as exclusive financial adviser to freenet in relation to the proposed sale of its Strato web hosting business to Deutsche Telekom for a total consideration of EUR275m (USD409m) in cash. The proposed sale was announced on 19 November 2009. Strato provides web hosting and SaaS solutions

Aerostar Capital has partnered with Presidio Global to explore private equity investment opportunities in Asian aerospace markets. The move comes on the heels of dynamic developments in Asian aerospace, including the emergence of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China as a future competitor to the long-standing Airbus/Boeing duopoly, the delivery

Venture capital firms Breakaway Ventures and General Catalyst Partners have sold their stakes in Retail Convergence to GSI Commerce. GSI is a provider of e-commerce and interactive marketing services, while RCI is an operator of the e-commerce business companies SmartBargains.com and RueLaLa.com. GSI signed a definitive agreement to acquire RCI

UNX, a provider of trading technology solutions, has secured funding from Goldman Sachs and Vernon & Park Capital to develop its electronic trading products. The firm has also appointed Thomas Kim as chief executive officer. The new funding will support the enhancement of UNX’s broker-neutral electronic trading products and services,

International legal practice Norton Rose Studio Legale has advised Gio’Style Lifestyle on the acquisition of Plastic Art’s Ordinett division, which specialises in the production, sale and distribution of PVC plastic containers. Gio’Style is based in Bergamo, Italy, and produces plastic outdoor, travel and home products, as well as plastic products

Golub Capital has provided a senior debt facility to Breyers Yogurt, a portfolio company of Catterton Partners. Breyers Yogurt is the largest independent yogurt company and one of the most widely recognised yogurt brands in the US. Its products include Breyers Fruit-on-the-Bottom, Breyers Light, Breyers Disney and the recently launched

The British ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair says Sierra Leone is ready for substantial international investment. Blair was speaking at the Sierra Leone Conference in London. Following seven years of stability, steady growth and ongoing economic reforms, the country offers many opportunities to committed investors. Such investments are starting to come

Matrix Private Equity Partners, the small buyout specialist, has sold its investment in Pasta King, a provider of pasta-based quick service meal alternatives. Pasta King has been sold to a management buy in team funded by NBGI Private Equity for GBP13m.  The GBP5.7m proceeds for Matrix VCT shareholders represent a