Charterhouse Capital Partners agrees to sell Nuova Castelli to Lactalis Group Italia

May 29, 2019

Charterhouse Capital Partners (“Charterhouse”), one of the longest established private equity firms in Europe, today announces that it has agreed to sell Nuova Castelli, a leading producer and distributor of speciality Italian cheese, to Gruppo Lactalis Italia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Nuova Castelli is a leading distributor and the largest exporter of speciality Italian cheese and food products to European blue-chip retail chains and other food retailers. Nuova Castelli’s core business is focused primarily on premium private label Italian Protected Designation of Origin (“PDO”) cheese products such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and Gorgonzola. Nuova Castelli employs more than 1,000 people in approximately twenty plants located in Italy and abroad.

Charterhouse acquired Nuova Castelli in May 2014 from its founder. Under Charterhouse’s ownership, Nuova Castelli has grown its international footprint, established new relationships with important retailers and experienced further growth, including the acquisition of Alival in Italy, North Coast in Poland and Empire Speciality Cheese in the USA.

In this transaction, Charterhouse has been advised and assisted by Rothschild, Credit Agricole and Simmons & Simmons.