Charterhouse Capital Partners has entered into an agreement to sell Casa Optima, a global player in the artisanal gelato and pastry ingredients market, to a group of investors led by private investment firm Terlos.
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Rimini, Northern Italy, Casa Optima serves over 30,000 gelato shops and 6,000 pastry shops in over 150 countries worldwide. The company has a portfolio of premium ingredients for artisanal gelato, pastry and beverages, developed in manufacturing facilities in Italy and Brazil.
In partnership with Charterhouse since 2016, Casa Optima has pursued a transformational growth journey to expand and professionalise its offering. This has included widening its product offering through organic and inorganic growth opportunities, notably the strategic acquisitions of Modecor, Giuso, Pernigotti Maestri Gelatieri Italiani and Blend, and accelerating innovation through investment in R&D.
Francesco Fattori, CEO of Casa Optima, said: “Thanks to Charterhouse’s continuous support, over the last few years Casa Optima has been able to consistently deliver solid top and bottom-line growth on the back of strong internationalisation plans, the completion of multiple strategic acquisitions and the development of successful brands and products.
“We are very excited to continue to work with Javier, alongside Terlos, as we continue to pursue our strategic organic and inorganic growth plans.”