RWE Deutschland has acquired a 15% stake in Vitronet Group, a German maker of glass fiber infrastructure products. The company’s private equity backer, Ventizz Capital Partners, is selling the 15% stake to RWE, according to a statement Monday. Terms of the sale were not released. The firm, via its Ventizz Capital Fund IV L.P., retains 61% of Vitronet.
4 min read · 11 July 2011
China’s Bright Food Group is interested in buying Australian-branded food business Manassen Foods from CHAMP Private Equity, Reuters reported. The two parties are in “advanced talks” about a potential deal, Reuters wrote. CHAMP bought Manassen Foods in 2006.
1 min read · 11 July 2011
Publicly traded VCA Antech is buying MediMedia Animal Health, a unit of MediMedia USA, for $146 million in cash. MediMedia Animal Health, known as Vetstreet, is a provider of online communications, professional education and marketing solutions to the veterinary community. MediMedia USA is a portfolio company of Vestar Capital Partners.
5 min read · 11 July 2011
Private equity firm Ratos’ portfolio company Arcus-Gruppen will buy a 51% stake in Norwegian wine wholesaler Excellars. The purchase price is roughly $11.7 million, the firm said Monday. Arcus-Gruppen is one of the largest wine suppliers in the Nordic region. The deal is expected to close in September.
2 min read · 11 July 2011
Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., the private equity owned parent of brands Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins, is planning to sell about 22.3 million shares in its initial public offering, at an expected range of $16-$18 per share. The IPO values the company at as much as $2.3 billion, Reuters reported. Dunkin’ was taken private in 2005 by private equity firms Bain Capital, Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners in a $2.4 billion deal.
1 min read · 11 July 2011
Local.com is paying up to $32 million for online daily deals company Screamin' Media Group, the company announced Monday. Local.com is paying $12.5 million in cash, stock and debt, with an additional $20 million in payments possible if certain milestones are met in the next two years. Formed early last year, Screaming Media’s site – screamingdailydeals.com – operates in about 14 markes, including Los Angeles.
3 min read · 11 July 2011
Nestle has offered to buy 60% of Chinese candy maker Hsu Fu Chi International for about $1.7 billion, Reuters reported. Hsu Fu Chi is roughly 55% owned by the Hsu family and 15% held by Baring Private Equity. According to Reuters, the Hsu family would sell a 16.48% stake to Nestle. Nestle will also buy 43.52% from shareholders such as Baring Private Equity and asset manager Arisaig and together with the Hsu family will seek to delist the firm, Reuters said.
3 min read · 11 July 2011
Buyout shop Blackstone Group sold its stake in Chinese agricultural group Dili Group earlier this year, Reuters reported, citing news from the Financial Times. The firm sold its stake after Dili warned Blackstone that its involvement would complicate efforts to raise prices, Reuters wrote. Last year, Unilever was fined in China to the tune of $309,3000 for talking about increasing prices, Reuters said.
1 min read · 11 July 2011
Entrepreneur Guy Hands is planning a 4 billion pound ($6.4 billion) bid for Royal Bank of Scotland’s aircraft financing division: RBS Aviation Capital, Reuters reported, citing a story in the Sunday Times. The report said that Hands wanted to combine RBS Aviation with Awas, a plane-leasing firm owned by his fund Terra Firma.
1 min read · 11 July 2011
Industry Ventures has closed Industry Ventures Fund VI, a $400 million secondary fund focused on providing liquidity alternatives for venture capital and technology growth equity investments. The firm also announced that it has recently closed a $155 million special opportunities fund. Industry Ventures is based in San Francisco, with offices in Washington D.C. The firm was founded in 2000. Capstone Partners acted as placement agent for Fund VI.
3 min read · 11 July 2011
