Private equity fund CVC has announced the acquisition of the entire stake in the Monbake group, which specialises in producing and distributing frozen bakery dough, in order to drive a new stage of growth. The Ardian fund and its co-investors, Alantra, Artá and Landon, are leaving the company after having established it among the three main players in the industry in Spain.

The Monbake group was the result of the Berlys and Bellsolá companies being merged in February 2018. The objective pursued from the outset by Ardian, which had bought both brands, was to consolidate a group with greater production capacity, commercial coverage, growth potential and innovation capacity. After also incorporating the Orio and Bertiz brands, the Monbake group now has a solid commercial and industrial structure and an extensive network of shops.

Roadmap
The entry of the British fund follows a six-year period in which Ardian considers that it has fulfilled its domestic and global growth plans and that its investment cycle has therefore come to an end. The new owner has extensive industry experience and has expressed their support for continuing with the company's roadmap.

The current management team is also supported by CVC, which is committed to the company's global expansion strategy and current policies on employment, quality, innovation, commitment to long-term supplier relationships and customer service in the over 30 countries in which it currently operates. Monbake now has nine production plants in Spain and more than 1,700 employees.

Strong support and commitment
Monbake CEO Aurelio Antuña said farewell to Ardian with words of thanks “for their strong support and commitment to Monbake's growth over the past six years. At the same time, we are proud of CVC's decision to support our company in its consolidation and continued growth. We are convinced that CVC is the right partner to take Monbake to the next level.”

José Antonio Torre de Silva, Partner at CVC, said, “We are honoured to become Monbake's new partner, offering our experience and proven track record in the industry to support the next phase of growth. We have full confidence in the management team and will work closely with them to implement the company's global growth strategy and strengthen its innovation capabilities in order to secure its position as an industry leader.”

Ardian Spain's Managing Director, Gonzalo Fernandez, described the experience of the past six years as “an incredible journey with a fantastic team of professionals and managers. We are very proud to have contributed to creating and developing Monbake, which is now a strong and innovative international group with operations in over 30 markets.”

^{Photo: Monbake}