Food & Beverage

We have worked in the Food & Beverage industry since 2001.

Most of our clients are brand owners or ingredients suppliers, with a mix of profiles. They include the largest tuna canner in the world, the largest independent dairy in the UK, the leading European manufacturer of natural antioxidants and a new healthy snacking brand on a mission to get children to eat better.

We have resolved a range of challenges for them, including:

• Growth: Which are the most attractive new geographies and product categories for our brand? Should we enter the out-of-home channel? How should we serve the discounter channel?
• Performance: Which factors are driving our recent under-performance? How do we compare to the competition? What do our customers think of us?
• Supply Chain: What are the key drivers of raw material pricing? What gross margin does each value chain participant typically earn? Is there a better supply chain solution?

Private Equity And M&A

With finance backgrounds and a meticulous mindset, we are frequently asked to support trade buyers and private equity firms on the acquisition trail.

Most of the transactions we work on relate to medium-sized European companies, typically with valuations in the range of €50m to €100m. We also provide regional support on much larger transactions and long term support on roll-up strategies in fragmented industries.

Typical assignments include:

• Market And Candidate Evaluation: Which market segments are most interesting? Which candidates are most attractive and available? Which candidates are the best fit for our client?
• Commercial Due Diligence: Are the profit forecasts realistic? What are the critical assumptions? What are the key risks and how should we value them?
• Joint Business Planning: What are the joint growth opportunities? What is the value of each opportunity? What are the underlying assumptions?

Other Industries

We have worked in a variety of other industries. In each case, we apply superior research skills and commercial intellect to address pressing management questions. Past assignments have included:

• Consumer Products: How attractive is the Spanish sportswear market?
• Industrials: What are the needs of different US automotive companies in purchasing speciality components?
• Logistics: How attractive is the opportunity to supply logistics services to the aerospace industry?
• Property Services: Which players are the most attractive acquisition candidates?
• Technology: Which geographies and channels should we prioritise?
• Utilities: How should the engineering services unit organise itself to best meet the future needs of the energy supply business