Houlihan Lokey Advises Alantra (2)

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Alantra PEF III (Alantra) has acquired a significant stake in Surexport Compañía Agraria, S.L. (Surexport), the leading European producer of fresh berries.

Founded in 1994 in Huelva by the Morales family, Surexport is the undisputed leading producer of fresh berries in Spain and amongst the biggest fresh produce companies in Europe. The group grows and commercialises the highest quality of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and operates under a vertically integrated business model, with full control over the value chain.

Since its foundation, Surexport has been focussed on supplying high-quality berries to key European retailers mainly in the UK, Germany, Central Europe, the Benelux, and Spain such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Lidl, El Corte Inglés, Mercadona, Biedronka, and REWE, among others. The group has exclusivity rights to produce several of the most innovative berry varieties available in the market and actively participates in breeding programs in partnerships with some of the leading berry genetic companies, such as Fall Creek, Plant Sciences, and Berry Genetics, amongst others.

Surexport’s CEO and the rest of the management team will continue to lead the project in order to fulfil its internationalisation plan that envisages both organic and inorganic growth. The group’s growth plan relies on strengthening its leadership position in top European retailers by increasing product availability to cope with year-round demand and reinforcing its differentiated portfolio of exclusive varieties. Additionally, Surexport aims to consolidate a recently launched fresh-cut fruit business for the national market, following the new investments deployed to develop a category that is experiencing high growth in other European markets.

Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive buyside M&A advisor to Alantra.