Céréa Capital II, alongside the management and Unexo, has acquired, from Linxis Group, owned by the IK VIII Fund advised by IK Investment Partners, the three companies of its cheese and dairy division: Chalon-Mégard, Tecnal et Simon Frères.
Linxis Group, formerly Bretèche Industrie, is a supplier of equipment for the agri-food, pharma and cosmetics industries. It has ceded the three companies of its dairy division to focus on its equipment activities for bakery and beauty/health sectors.
The dairy division, renamed Synext Group, is the French leader in cheese equipment (for hard cheeses, such as Comté and Beaufort, as well as soft cheeses, such as Brie or Feta) and the global leader for butter equipment. Based in Niort, Montréal-la-Cluse and Cherbourg, France, the group has roughly 250 employees and sales of €M 50. Its clientele is divided between regional SMEs, cooperatives and large dairy groups across the world.
Antoine Peyronnet, Managing Director with Céréa Partenaire, says: “We are very happy to support this French leader with recognized know-how and a highly motivated team in its growth and developing over the coming years.”
Jérôme Villard, President of Synext Group, adds: “We are delighted to take our independence with Céréa Capital, enabling us to focus our efforts on the development of our markets and to seize external growth opportunities in France and abroad.”
Didier Soumet, President of Linxis Group, says: “We are delighted with this transaction. With a dynamic management team and the support of Céréa Capita, a recognized partner in the agri-food sector, the group will fully focus on exporting its leading know-how.”
Financing for the transaction was completed by Unitranche debt subscribed by Idinvest.
