Baarsma Wine Group Adds On

Baarsma Wine Group, a wine distribution business founded 30 years ago in the Netherlands, has acquired Rutishauser Weinkellerei of Switzerland with undisclosed backing from its private equity owner AAC Capital Partners.

Scherzingen-based Rutishauser is a wine distribution and bottling company with more than 120 years of operation in Switzerland. The company has activities in the retail, ‘horeca’ (hotel, restaurant and caterer) and direct to consumer segments.

Combined with its bottling activities, Rutishauser has a turnover of roughly CHF34m (US$29m)

AAC Capital Partners, which spun out of ABN Amro, invested in Baarsma in February 2007. The business had already carried out a number of bolt-on acquisitions including Léon Colaris, Wijnkoperij Wielinga and Kaapkelder prior to private equity ownership.

In 2008, AAC Capital Partners acquired power, energy and telecoms service provider Empower in January, Danish baby equipment retailer BabySam in February and engineered textiles manufacturer James Dewhurst in April.

Recent exits comprise Fabory, a mechanical fasteners business sold to HgCapital in late 2007 for €345m; and Drie Mollen, a coffee roasting business sold to CapVest in January.

Source: Thomson Merger News