Double shot for the British fund Cinven that sold ("successfully", underlines the official statement) Arcaplanet, Italian company active in the retail of pet products. The sale of the investment in Arcaplanet by Cinven took place in favour of its strategic partner, Fressnapf Group, a German franchising company for pet food. At the same time, however, Cinven has made a "new strategic investment" in Fressnapf Group, a company active in Europe in the pet supply sector led by the founder and majority shareholder Torsten Toeller.

The Arcaplanet Group should generate a turnover of over 700 million Euros in 2024: from March 2022 has increased the number of employees from about 2,000 to about 3,000 units. In Italy it will continue to operate with the current structure and with the brand Arcaplanet.

Cinven acquired a majority stake in Arcaplanet in 2022 and subsequently merged with MaxiZoo Italia (the former Italian subsidiary of Fressnapf), with Fressnapf holding a minority stake in the combined company. The union, underlines the official note, has given rise to the Arcaplanet Group, one of the largest omnichannel retailers of pet products in Italy and southern Europe.

Under the leadership of ceo Nicolò Galante and president Peter Pritchard, continues the note, the Arcaplanet group has recorded a substantial acceleration of results in the last two years under the ownership of Cinven funds, growing its network of physical stores, which now has more than 560 locations in Italy, and improving its digital presence and suite of services dedicated to pets, with a strategy focused on creating a continuous omnichannel experience for customers. 

"I am proud of the results achieved by Arcaplanet, which today is considered one of the most performing and innovative pet retailers -explains Nicolò Galante, ceo of Arcaplanet Group-. I am excited because, on the one hand, joining the Fressnapf Group will accelerate the growth opportunities that we have in front of us and, on the other, it means that the talents and capabilities of Arcaplanet can contribute a lot to the success of the entire Fressnapf Group. My team and I are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Torsten Toeller, Peter and the Cinven and Fressnapf teams".

The terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed and the transaction will be subject to the usual regulatory and antitrust approvals.

"The union of Arcaplanet and MaxiZoo Italia by Cinven has created a great Italian success story and we are immensely proud of what Arcaplanet has achieved in such a short period under the guidance of Nicolò and his team -adds Matteo Corà, partner, Head of the Italian team and member of the Consumer team of Cinven-. Their constant focus on a superior and passionate customer experience, coupled with investment in accelerating digital capabilities, has created significant growth and value, all while providing support to the local communities where the company operates. We are pleased to renew our partnership with the Arcaplanet and Fressnapf teams and to support them in the next phase of this journey".

Over the past 34 years, Fressnapf has created a highly successful, much loved and recognized brand with over 2,600 specialty stores in 14 countries. The combined group is expected to generate a total gross turnover of approximately 5 billion euros in 2024. Cinven and Fressnapf share the common goal of creating the best and fastest growing omnichannel platform for pet care globally and a key player in the European pet care landscape. Torsten Toeller will retain majority ownership and his role as chairman of the Fressnapf Group, while Cinven extends his track record as a leading investor in the European consumer goods and pet care markets. 

"The acquisition of Arcaplanet is for us an important step in a strategic path -underlines Toeller, president and founder of Fressnapf-. Arcaplanet and its team will join one of the most successful and fastest growing European pet companies, with a focus on making life easier for pet lovers and their pets, better and happier following our vision of 'Happier Pets. Happier People'. At the heart of this transaction is our strategic vision to continue building one of the best sustainable companies globally in the pet care industry, able to meet the needs of our customers and their pets through physical and digital channels".