Italian food & beverage confirms itself as the most attractive sector for international investments. And this despite the pandemic crisis that is characterizing the first months of 2020. In fact, the current year was very rich in terms of the number of M&A transactions with Italian companies. A good example of this is the recent acquisition of Besana by Spanish group Importaco.
According to an analysis by PwC “already in 2019 made in Italy food was the most attractive of all economic sectors, with 80 mergers and acquisitions (there were 60 in 2018), 25 of which cross-border (15 inbound) confirming its global attractiveness.”
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The beverage segment had recorded significant growth with 27 transactions (15 in 2018), 18 of which by strategic investors and 16 cross-border. Wines & sparkling wines, coffee and soft drinks are among the dominant sectors.
M&A TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING ITALIAN F&B
The main transactions in the first months of 2020 involved Tannico (acquired by Campari), Pasticceria Bindi (by BC Partners), Yespresso (by Mandarin Capital), Pastificio di Chiavenna (by San Remo Macaroni Group), and frozen pizza group Margherita (by Kadi). Without forgetting Ingino SpA (pastry ingredients, acquired by IDeA Agro fund in May).
At the end of May, Poke House, a brand specializing in Californian poke bowls counting about ten restaurants, announced the closing of a round of financing of over 5 million euros with the venture capital fund Milano Investment Partners (also protagonist of the transactions on Miscusi and Princi-Starbucks) which acquired a 25% stake.