Eurazeo, through its Capital1 strategy, has entered into exclusive discussions with a European holding company of Ferrara Candy Company, a top selling sugar candy company in the U.S., regarding the sale of CPK, the European confectionery and chocolate champion.
Founded in 2017 following the acquisition of 14 brands belonging to the American group Mondelez, and the combination in 2018 with the Lamy Lutti company, CPK is an independent platform which operates in the confectionery and chocolate market. With a portfolio of iconic brands, the group is mainly present in three market segments: sweets (notably with Carambar, Lutti, Krema, Michoko), milk chocolate with the British brand Terry’s; and French chocolate brands such as Poulain and 1848. CPK has three production sites and a workshop in France; and employs more than 900 staff.
Under the terms of this agreement, Eurazeo and its partners would sell their entire financial stake in CPK. As such, Eurazeo reaffirms its strategy of building European champions, supporting ambitious and responsible transformations, whilst creating significant value for its clients and shareholders.
The finalization of the transaction remains subject to the conclusion of the information and consultation process with the company’s trade unions, as well as to approval from the competition authorities. It should be finalized in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The sale of CPK would be the 5th consecutive exit to a trade buyer by the Capital strategy and would confirm Eurazeo’s capacity to build attractive champions for strategic players. The transaction is expected to bring approximately €240m2 of proceeds to Eurazeo’s balance sheet.
Marc Auclair, President, CPK, declared:
“Eurazeo’s long-term support has been crucial to defining and executing a vision. I also want to thank all of CPK employees for their strong commitment over the years. We have been able to benefit from the teams’ trust and their responsibility throughout all the different stages, which have enabled us to arrive today at the creation of a European champion. We are excited about the opportunity to build on our success with a company that values our roots and all that we have created.”
Amandine Ayrem, Partner, Eurazeo Capital, said:
“We are extremely proud to have supported CPK’s management team in a complex project to build a European confectionary leader which can now continue to develop within a global industrial project. We thank all employees for the entrepreneurial mindset they showed whilst carrying out an ambitious roadmap over the past years and wish them every success in this new phase of their journey. This potential sale confirms the validity of Eurazeo Capital’s mandate which aims to build leaders with a clear and strong strategic positioning in their market.”
***************
