RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 5, 2024 -- H.I.G. Capital ("H.I.G."), a leading global alternative investment firm with $65 billion of capital under management, is pleased to announce that one of its affiliates has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Life Agro ("Life Agro" or the "Company"), a leader in the specialty agricultural inputs ("SAI") segment in Brazil. Matias Ezequiel Tiecher, Founder and CEO of Life Agro, will continue to hold a significant ownership stake, and will remain in his role as CEO. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Life Agro, headquartered in Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil, has a strong presence across the South and Midwest regions, Brazil's key agricultural hubs. The Company boasts a diverse product portfolio, including Adjuvants, Biostimulants, Micro Fertilizers, and Biological crop protection products. Life Agro's innovative go-to-market strategy emphasizes collaboration with local resellers, supported by a large sales team, enabling the Company to establish significant market reach and capillarity. Over the past five years, the Company grew at a 45% CAGR, a testament to its business model and innovation capabilities.
Sustainability is at the core of Life Agro's operations, with ESG principles deeply embedded in its product offerings. The Company's entire portfolio provides eco-friendly alternatives to traditional chemical solutions in crop protection, reducing chemical use in agriculture.
Matias Ezequiel Tiecher, CEO and Founder of Life Agro, commented: "We are thrilled to welcome H.I.G. as a strategic partner. Its global presence and resources will be instrumental as we grow and innovate. With H.I.G.'s support, we look forward to expanding our product offerings and strengthening our presence across key agricultural markets."
"We are excited to partner with Life Agro, its talented management team, and its founding shareholder as the Company embarks on its next growth phase. We look forward to supporting the Company as it expands its market reach and continues to lead the shift towards eco-friendly crop protection," said Thiago Miskulin, Managing Director in H.I.G.'s Rio de Janeiro office.
Fernando Marques Oliveira, Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Latin America, commented: "This acquisition marks H.I.G.'s first investment in the agricultural sector in Latin America and is an important step in our regional expansion. Life Agro's strong market position, growth profile, and commitment to sustainability make it a perfect fit for our portfolio."
About Life Agro
Founded in 2013, Life Agro is a leading regional producer of specialty agricultural inputs, offering an innovative range of plant-based products. The Company has a broad national presence, with its products available in 23 of Brazil's 27 states. Life Agro employs approximately 200 people, operates two production facilities in Brazil's southern region, and has eight distribution centers nationwide. With a comprehensive portfolio of over 100 SKUs, the Company maintains strong, long-term partnerships with an extensive network of local resellers and agro-industrial cooperatives. For more information, please visit lifeagro.com.br.
About H.I.G. Capital
H.I.G. Capital is a leading global alternative investment firm with $65 billion of capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco in the United States, as well as international affiliate offices in Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Dubai, and Hong Kong, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:
- H.I.G.'s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations, and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.
- H.I.G.'s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche, and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. also manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.
- H.I.G.'s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.
- H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector
Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The Firm's current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $53 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at hig.com.
*Based on total capital raised by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates.
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