Argos Soditic's Natural Santé acquires Direct Plantes

The GP and its portfolio company considered several acquisition opportunities in previous months. They eventually decided on Direct Plantes due to its complementary product range.

Both companies will now work together and combine their distribution networks.

Previous financing
Argos Soditic backed the buy-in management buyout of food supplements specialist Natural Distribution in April 2013. Although the company is headquartered in the UK, it generates most of its turnover in France and was founded by two French citizens.

The GP secured a majority stake in the buyout, while the vendors and the management team retained minority stakes.

Company
Founded in 2003 by Victor Nunes, Direct Plantes sells food supplements via its e-commerce platform. The company is headquartered in Montboucher-sur-Jabron.

Natural Santé, which can trace its roots back 30 years, develops and distributes plant-based food supplements to pharmacies and specialist shops. Headquartered in Ashford it employs around 125 people.

People
Philippe Hemery is the CEO of Natural Santé. Karel Kroupa is a partner at Argos Soditic and worked on the deal with investment manager Raphaël Bazin and analyst Samuel Touboul.

Advisers
Equity – Transcapital, Eric Santoni, Pascale Mayer, Thierry Guérin (M&A); De Pardieu Brocas Maffei, Maxime Dequesne, Anne-Laure Bardou, Hugues de Fouchier (Legal); SJA Audit et Conseil, Pierre Stefaniutyn, Cyril Couten (Financial due diligence); Arsène Taxand, Franck Chaminade, Marion Dervieux (Tax); PDG Avocats, Paule Drouault-Gardrat, Juliette Peterka (Legal); Smile, Alexandre Emonet (Commercial due diligence); Siaci Saint Honoré, Eric Rémus (Insurance due diligence).

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• Topics
• France
• Portfolio management
• Consumer
• UK / Ireland
• France
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