With plenty of ‘dry powder’ to detonate, private equity funds are competing with each other and the seafood industry itself for deals. A growing number of the world’s investors are waking up to something only a small group of private equity funds, trade buyers, venture capitalists and M&A advisors have known for years: there’s big […]
Ignacio Kleiman urged traditional seafood companies to “dust off and come back stronger” as private‑equity groups build consolidation platforms such as Northern Wind and Champlain Financial’s lobster/snow‑crab venture, arguing that strategic players must scale up to compete with financially backed platforms
November 1, 2021 – Antarctica Advisors LLC, the leading Seafood Industry-focused M&A advisory firm, acted as the exclusive investment banking advisor to Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. (“Mitsui”), in the sale of the assets of Mitsui Foods, Inc. (“MFI”) to Gellert Global Group’s (“GGG”) Atalanta Corporation. MFI is a leading importer and distributor of canned […]
After ACON Investments formed Atlantic Sustainable Catch by acquiring Northern Wind and two Canadian lobster processors, advisors said the private‑equity firm may look to purchase scallop vessels to integrate upstream despite U.S. ownership and permit‑stacking restrictions, as cross‑selling and scale could generate efficiencies
October 14th, 2021 – Antarctica Advisors LLC, the leading Seafood Industry-focused M&A advisory firm, acted as the exclusive investment banking advisor to Northern Wind Inc. (“Northern Wind”), one of the leading scallop processors in the US, in its sale to ACON Investments LLC (“ACON”), a Washington, DC private equity fund with global presence and over […]
In an Undercurrent webinar, industry figures debated whether traditional salmon farmers must invest in land‑based recirculating aquaculture systems; while Ignacio Kleiman warned that land‑based farms near major markets could disrupt the industry, others said the high costs mean such projects will remain niche, though some large farmers may invest as a hedge
Advisors predicted that 2021 seafood M&A would shift toward downstream processing and input sectors because booming retail demand and pandemic delays highlight the need for integrated one‑stop processors; family‑owned processors remain ripe for consolidation and cross‑border deals are expected once travel restrictions ease
Hedge funds Davidson Kempner and Monarch Alternative Capital, leading China Fishery Group creditors, proposed converting US$750 million of debt into equity and injecting US$150 million because they lacked confidence in trustee William Brandt’s sale process, though the creditor‑led takeover still faces legal hurdles
When the world begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, some prominent seafood executives are predicting a busy period of mergers and acquisitions. Speaking during the National Fisheries Institute’s 2021 Global Seafood Market Conference’s economic outlook panel, seafood company advisors and CEOs said they expect a combination of factors will lead to increased M&A activity. […]
The global COVID-19 pandemic has been a mixed bag for the seafood industry, with retailers notching record seafood sales and the category as a whole seeing gains, even as the foodservice industry virtually collapsed. That downturn is expected to change direction this year, with foodservice operators optimistic about 2021. Seafood company CEOs and advisors, speaking […]
Transaction SummaryAntarctica Advisors, the leading Seafood Industry-focused investment banking firm, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Clear Springs Foods, Inc. in its 100% sale to Riverence Holding LLC. The combined group is the largest producer of trout in the U.S., becoming one of the largest aquaculture companies in the country.
Antarctica’s specialized Seafood Team worked with the Board and Management in finding the best strategy for the Company, advised in the Company’s refinancing prior to the sale, and led a closed competitive sales process geared towards maximizing value for the Company’s employee-owners.