IRCA
Acquired by
THE CARLYLE GROUP
IRCA acquired by THE CARLYLE GROUP
Context
The Carlyle Group, through its European-focused upper-mid market buyout fund Carlyle Europe Partners IV, executed the acquisition of Irca. The transaction was a secondary buyout, with Carlyle acquiring the company from the previous majority shareholder, financial sponsor Ardian, and the founding Nobili family. Ardian had originally acquired a majority stake in 2015. The acquisition by Carlyle was intended to fuel Irca's next stage of growth, with a particular emphasis on accelerating its international development and further solidifying its market position. Carlyle was attracted to Irca's distinctive positioning as a leader in its niche, its high-quality and diversified product portfolio, its R&D capabilities, and its strong track record of financial performance and growth. The deal structure ensured management continuity, with Roberto Nobili, a member of the founding family, remaining in his role as CEO to lead the company's strategic initiatives under new ownership. The transaction highlights the appeal of well-established Italian companies with global expansion potential to large international private equity firms.
IRCA, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2016, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, representing a LOGIN to the average currently observed in the AgriFood sector (10.6x).
Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.
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Target
Irca is a leading Italian and European manufacturer of semi-finished ingredients and food products for the artisanal pastry, baking, and ice-cream sectors. Established in 1919 in Gallarate, Italy, by the Nobili family, the company has built a strong reputation for the quality and breadth of its product offering. Its portfolio consists of nearly 1,800 product lines, catering to a diverse customer base that includes industrial food companies, large-scale retail bakeries, and traditional artisanal pastry shops and bakeries. In 2014, the company strategically expanded into the artisanal ice-cream ingredients market with the launch of its Joy Gelato brand. Operationally, Irca is headquartered in Gallarate (Varese) and, as of 2017, employed 300 people across three production plants in the Lombardy region, with an additional facility under construction at that time. The company has a significant international footprint, distributing its products in approximately 70 countries through a well-established network of long-standing distributors. International sales have historically represented a substantial and growing portion of the company's total business.
Ent. Value
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EV / EBITDA
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EV / EBIT
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Historical Financials (EUR)
Other operations with IRCA
| Date | Acquirer | Target | Country | Sector | Deal Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/2022 | ADVENT INTERNATIONAL | IRCA | ITALY | Food Processing | Irca is a leading Italian and European manufacturer of semi-finished ingredients and food products for the artisanal pastry, baking, and ice-cream sectors. Established in 1919 in Gallarate, Italy, by the Nobili family, the company has built a strong reputation for the quality and breadth of its product offering. Its portfolio consists of nearly 1,800 product lines, catering to a diverse customer base that includes industrial food companies, large-scale retail bakeries, and traditional artisanal pastry shops and bakeries. In 2014, the company strategically expanded into the artisanal ice-cream ingredients market with the launch of its Joy Gelato brand. Operationally, Irca is headquartered in Gallarate (Varese) and, as of 2017, employed 300 people across three production plants in the Lombardy region, with an additional facility under construction at that time. The company has a significant international footprint, distributing its products in approximately 70 countries through a well-established network of long-standing distributors. International sales have historically represented a substantial and growing portion of the company's total business. |
| 07/2015 | ARDIAN | IRCA | ITALY | Food Processing | Irca is a leading Italian and European manufacturer of semi-finished ingredients and food products for the artisanal pastry, baking, and ice-cream sectors. Established in 1919 in Gallarate, Italy, by the Nobili family, the company has built a strong reputation for the quality and breadth of its product offering. Its portfolio consists of nearly 1,800 product lines, catering to a diverse customer base that includes industrial food companies, large-scale retail bakeries, and traditional artisanal pastry shops and bakeries. In 2014, the company strategically expanded into the artisanal ice-cream ingredients market with the launch of its Joy Gelato brand. Operationally, Irca is headquartered in Gallarate (Varese) and, as of 2017, employed 300 people across three production plants in the Lombardy region, with an additional facility under construction at that time. The company has a significant international footprint, distributing its products in approximately 70 countries through a well-established network of long-standing distributors. International sales have historically represented a substantial and growing portion of the company's total business. |
REFERENCES
Valuation range: EV 500M - 1.5b EUR
Revenue range: 250M - 500M EUR
EBITDA range: 25M - 50M EUR
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Authors: mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).
Press release: view release
Target: irca
Acquirer: the carlyle group