Solum Partners Finalizes Strategic Investment in Greenyard
Solum Partners Finalizes Strategic Investment in Greenyard
Europe’s second largest fruit and vegetable distributor partners with global agribusiness investment firm in its next phase of growth
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Solum Partners, a specialist investment firm focused on vertically integrated food and natural capital businesses, today announced it has completed its majority investment in Greenyard NV (“Greenyard”), a global leader in fresh, frozen and prepared produce, in partnership with Greenyard’s founders, the Deprez Family.
This milestone follows Greenyard’s delisting from the Euronext Brussels in September and represents one of the most significant private investments in the European produce sector in recent years. The takeover bid closing price of €7.40 per share implies an equity value of approximately €380 million.
Founded by Hein Deprez in Flanders, Belgium in 1983, Greenyard has grown into a leading European food platform with more than €5 billion in annual revenue and a fully integrated operating model spanning sourcing, logistics, ripening, packing, distribution and category management. The company serves many of Europe’s largest retailers through a sophisticated, end-to-end infrastructure designed to ensure quality, reliability and efficiency across the produce supply chain.
Today, Greenyard operates in 25 countries and maintains relationships with more than 10,000 growers worldwide, playing a critical role in supplying fruit and vegetables across the continent.
“This investment reflects our conviction that vertically integrated, technology-enabled food supply chains are essential to serve increasingly complex global food markets,” said Daniel Sachs, Head of Investments at Solum Partners. “The transition to private ownership enables Greenyard to pursue long-term capital investment, supply-chain modernization and sustainability initiatives in ways that are more difficult to execute within public markets.”
Hein Deprez, Founder and Executive Chairman of Greenyard, said “We were looking for a partner who shares both our long-term philosophy and our conviction in the structural growth of our sector. Solum Partners brings not only capital, but deep operational experience and a strategic understanding of global food systems. Together, we believe Greenyard is uniquely positioned to benefit from rising demand for fresh food, healthier diets and more resilient supply chains.”
Greenyard will continue to operate with continuity across its customer and grower relationships, retaining its existing management team and operational structure. Solum’s investment is intended to accelerate the company’s strategic roadmap and support investment across logistics infrastructure, grower partnerships, digital innovation, and sustainability programs.
In addition to its delisting, Greenyard has also completed the integration of strategic multinational farming operations with assets across the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The combination strengthens Greenyard’s upstream sourcing capabilities and expands its access to strategically important production regions.
About Solum Partners
Solum Partners invests thematically in vertically integrated produce platforms and natural capital businesses. With a hands-on approach and a global network of sector experts, Solum builds scalable companies focused on supply-chain resilience, sustainability, and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Solum manages more than $2 billion in assets on behalf of institutional investors.
About Greenyard
Greenyard is a global market leader in fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetables, flowers and plants. Counting Europe’s leading retailers amongst its customer base, Greenyard offers efficient and sustainable solutions to customers and suppliers through best-in-class products, market leading innovation, operational excellence and outstanding service.
Its vision is to make lives healthier by helping people conveniently enjoy high quality fruits and vegetables while fostering nature. With around 10,000 employees operating in 25 countries worldwide, Greenyard identifies its people, and customer and supplier relationships, as the key assets which enable it to deliver goods and services worth around €5.3 billion per annum.
