Houlihan Lokey Advises Clessidra

Transaction: Houlihan Lokey Advises Clessidra

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Clessidra Private Equity SGR (Clessidra) has acquired Mondodelvino S.p.A., a leading Italian player in the bottling and distribution of wine, from the Martini family. The transaction closed on 10 June 2021.

Founded in 1991 by the Martini family and based in Priocca, Italy, Mondodelvino is a leading player in the Italian wine sector. Mondodelvino is engaged in the bottling, packaging, and distribution of red, white, and sparkling wines operating through five well-invested manufacturing plants located in Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and Sicily with a yearly production of approximately 500,000 hl of wine.

Mondodelvino’s widespread product portfolio of multi-regional wine categories includes:

  • Sicilia Rosso: Red wine made with cabernet, frappato, merlot, nero d’Avola, and other grapes grown in Sicily region.

  • Emilia-Romagna: Red and white wines made with chardonnay, merlot, sangiovese, and trebbiano grapes grown in Emilia-Romagna region.

  • Pinot Grigio: White wine made with pinot grigio grapes grown in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Sicily, and Veneto.

  • Barbera: Red wine made with barbera grapes grown in Lombardy and Piedmont.

  • Primitivo: Red wine made with primitivo, merlot, negroamaro, and zinfandel grapes grown in Apulia.

The company, through its international network, sells its products under private label and own brands—such as Barone Montalto, Giacondi, Codici, Luna Argenta, and Podere dei Nespoli—in more than 65 countries all over the world, with export accounting for approximately 90% of total sales.

In 2020, the company generated revenues equal to approximately €120 million.

Clessidra is a leading management company in the Italian private equity market, with over €2.5 billion of capital raised. Founded in 2003 and controlled by Italmobiliare S.p.A., the Italian listed investment holding company held by the Pesenti family, Clessidra has completed 24 investments since its inception, for a total amount in excess of €2 billion and a cumulative enterprise value of over €18 billion.

Following the completion of the transaction, Mondodelvino will benefit from the integration with Botter—a wine producer recently acquired by Clessidra—establishing a group generating approximately €350 million revenues, paving the way for synergies exploitation and market consolidation. As for the Botter family, the Martini family has reinvested in the company and will continue to take important managerial positions together with the top management team, ensuring managerial continuity.

Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive financial advisor to Clessidra throughout the acquisition process, assisting the client in structuring and negotiating every aspect of the deal. The transaction demonstrates Houlihan Lokey’s ability to navigate challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver an outstanding outcome to its clients and confirms its long-standing relationship with Clessidra.

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