WESTCOUNTRY FOOD acquired by KITWAVE GROUP

METRO AG expanded its European foodservice distribution platform through the acquisition of Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk (JHB) from Litorina. JHB is a leading Nordic supplier of fresh meat, fish and seafood products to the HoReCa sector, holding a strong position across Sweden and Finland. The acquisition provides METRO with an immediate entry into the Swedish and Finnish foodservice markets while strengthening its expertise in fresh protein categories. JHB contributes a well-established regional platform, long-standing customer relationships and differentiated processing capabilities. The transaction supports METRO’s strategy to expand its Food Service Distribution business, broaden its Northern European footprint and increase exposure to recurring demand from professional hospitality customers. JHB will continue to operate under its existing brand while benefiting from METRO’s international sourcing capabilities and foodservice distribution network.

PAI Partners acquired a majority stake in ECF Group, valuing the company between EUR800M and EUR850M. Naxicap Partners, the previous majority owner, reinvested as a minority shareholder. The transaction aims to support ECF's dynamic "buy-and-build" strategy (30 acquisitions in 5 years) and its expansion into new segments like fast food and hygiene services.

Barentz acquired 100% of Unipex from its management team and BNP Paribas Developpement (who held ~27%). This transaction marks the successful conclusion of the OBO structure set up in 2019. The deal was negotiated bilaterally (pre-empting a broader auction). Unipex brings EUR90 million in additional revenue and strengthens Barentz's position in France and North Africa, where the Dutch group was historically underrepresented.

Integrating M.J. Baker into the Kitwave Group infrastructure secures a decisive logistical foothold in the Devon and Somerset landscapes. This strategic maneuver establishes a complementary service offering that effectively removes the category friction for South West independent customers seeking a unified temperature-controlled supply chain. By unifying the target’s technical operational depth in the West Country with the group’s national delivery framework, the organization constructs a comprehensive multi-category platform optimized for high-frequency fulfillment in seasonal leisure markets.

TowerBrook acquired a majority stake in Groupe Bruneau from Equistone Partners Europe, alongside the management team. The deal was struck following a period of exceptional performance where Bruneau's revenue jumped from EUR310M (in 2017) to approximately EUR500M (in 2021). The investment thesis for TowerBrook centers on transforming Bruneau from a regional powerhouse into the undisputed European leader in workplace solutions.

Bur Distribution has successfully completed the acquisition of Accent Bio from its co-founders, Nelly Lopez and Philippe Boulling, marking a transformative corporate milestone that effectively doubles the size of the Île-de-France-based group. This strategic build-up operation expands Bur Distribution's consolidated revenue.From a strategic perspective, this primary build-up transaction allows Bur Distribution to fundamentally reshape its category mix and accelerate its transition into the high-growth organic grocery sector. While Bur Distribution historically anchored its operations around traditional fine foods and premium delicatessen items via its Eric Bur and Rödel brands, the integration of Accent Bio introduces a turn-key portfolio of proprietary organic brands and deep sector expertise. This consolidation will unlock material operational, logistical, and commercial cross-selling synergies across their combined distribution networks, driving increased volume efficiency and positioning the consolidated platform as a primary counterparty for the broader French retail market.

Ecotone has successfully finalized the strategic acquisition of Danival, marking a high-profile consolidation milestone within the European and French organic agri-food industries. This transaction represents a complete shareholder transition, integrating Danival’s historic Andiran production facility, its dedicated local workforce of approximately 120 employees. From a strategic perspective, this build-up operation is highly complementary to Ecotone's existing asset architecture and aligns perfectly with its core mission to promote food biodiversity and alternative nutrition. By incorporating Danival, Ecotone significantly strengthens its operational and industrial footprint in France, acquiring a turnkey, specialized manufacturing asset in the Southwest region. The integration will unlock substantial commercial, logistical, and purchasing synergies across their combined networks, while allowing Danival's premium product categories to leverage Ecotone's scaled international distribution capabilities to accelerate market penetration and cross-border export expansion.

BNP Paribas Developpement invested EUR8.8 million to acquire a minority stake in Unipex. The management team, retains a two-thirds majority of the capital, while 5% is distributed to key managers. The deal is leveraged with a EUR27 million senior debt package arranged by Societe Generale. This operation allows the senior management (aged ~60) to realize some value while preparing the company for a full sale to a majority PE fund within 3-5 years.

ntegrating Central Supplies into the Kitwave Group infrastructure secures a decisive logistical foothold in the UK chilled food landscape. This strategic maneuver establishes a complementary service offering that sits parallel to the group's industry-leading frozen operations, effectively removing the category friction for independent customers seeking a unified temperature-controlled supply chain. By unifying the target’s West Midlands technical operational depth with the group's national delivery framework, the organization constructs a comprehensive "multi-temp" platform optimized for high-frequency fulfillment.

Midsona acquired 100% of the share capital of Alimentation Santé from Panzani SAS. The transaction was structured via a definitive share purchase agreement executed on a debt-free and cash-free basis, with the total consideration settled entirely in cash at closing. To finance the acquisition, Midsona secured a short-term bank bridge loan, which was later refinanced through an equity rights issue backed by its majority shareholder, Stena Adactum AB. This acquisition enabled the immediate integration of Alimentation Santé into Midsona's expanding European network as a standalone operating entity. Long-standing Managing Director Marjolaine Cevoz Goyat retained her position at the operational helm to ensure continuity across regional business activities.