Wosana SA, a well‑known producer of drinks and juices from Andrychów, has ended up in the hands of an industry investor, the Japanese holding company DyDo Group. The purchase includes 100% of the shares in the company. The buyer is a large international holding, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, producing soft drinks, dietary supplements, and food products. DyDo sells products under the DyDo Blend Coffee, Demitasse, Miu, CUTTEA, Waka‑Gokochi, PuruSsh!!!, Extra Rich, and Mistio brands. DyDo Group is headquartered in Osaka.

– We have been observing a lot of interest from foreign investors in Polish food companies for some time now. We are a large, attractive market for them. However, investors are primarily looking for companies that are already well‑invested in production, which is due to the fact that the costs of machinery, steel and engineers have risen significantly. At Wosana, we implemented a CAPEX programme and invested in modern machinery at a very good time. Today, the cost of purchasing these machines would almost double. Another key element is the quality of the products, which is of utmost importance for the investor engaging with juice and beverage producers.  The high quality of the products and the experience in private label production for modern channel leaders meant that Wosana was a good fit for the industry investor, says Marcin Konarski, partner at Avallon MBO.

The purchase of Wosana is another step in the implementation of DyDo’s business strategy to grow in the European market. In 2016, DyDo Group entered Turkey with the acquisition of a local beverage producer and is now looking to expand the business in the CEE region.

-Wosana has been an attractive investment target. The company offers good quality products at reasonable prices. During Avallon’s investment, it succeeded, among other things, in launching the production of three‑litre juices under the Wosana brand (which allowed it to take a market‑leading position in the large‑packaging segment) and in expanding the brand ‘Mama and I’, which is mineral water, designed for newborns, children, and pregnant women. In its portfolio, Wosana also has isotonic drinks for athletes and people active physically. Wosana’s products are very popular and the company can boast having loyal clientele. As part of the aforementioned CAPEX programme, we invested in the best possible aseptic production lines.  Over a period of just a few years, we managed to significantly improve the company’s results – its revenues increased three and a half times during the investment, and EBIDTA increased as much as five times. – explains Piotr Paśnicki, the Fund’s Investment Director. 

After exiting Wosana, the Avallon MBO fund’s portfolios include ten other companies: Hortimex – representing the food industry, Clovin – a company producing cleaning products, the marketing company EDC Expert, Globema – a provider of geospatial software and IT services, the manufacturer of Letniskowo mobile homes, Norlys – a manufacturer of high‑quality outdoor luminaires and lighting equipment, TES – a manufacturer of electrical machinery and components, the SAT company – the owner of the chain of shops of the sport & fashion segment S’portofino, and the MPPK Group – a supplier of dog and cat food of the premium segment (awaiting approval from the OCCP) and Marketplanet – a shopping platform.