Houlihan Lokey Advises Campus

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce the sale of Campus S.r.l. to Firmenich SA. The transaction closed on August 9, 2018.

Founded in 2005 and based in Parma, Italy, Campus is an Italian producer of natural functional specialty ingredients. The company provides innovative functional blends, functional flavouring solutions, and specialty ingredients to the meat and savoury industry as well as the dairy industry. Thanks to its technological know-how and capabilities, Campus has also developed a customized, and customizable, range of vegetable, meat, and cheese substitutes/analogues under the VivaVeg own brand. The company operates research and production facilities in Italy and is expanding its footprint globally with a state-of-the-art production plant in Monterrey, Mexico, which started production in July this year.

In 2015, a majority of Campus shareholder capital was acquired by White Bridge Investments S.p.A. (WBI), an Italy-based holding company investing in small and medium-sized Italian private enterprises. Synergetic S.r.l.—a holding company entirely owned by Giampaolo Cagnin, Campus founder—remained invested with a minority stake.

Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, Firmenich is the world's largest privately owned company in the fragrance and flavour business. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends.

This transaction broadens Firmenich's capabilities in naturals and protein solutions, cutting across animal and vegan food products.

Houlihan Lokey served as exclusive financial advisor to WBI and Synergetic throughout the sale process, from the preparation of the initial marketing material for the company and initial contacts with potential buyers to the final negotiation with the counterparties.