Mid Europa Partners has shown an interest in acquiring the store chain of Polish retailer Emperia. Emperia launched a tender in June for the retail branch of its operations in an effort to raise USD 318 million. Mid Europa Partners recently purchased Zabka, Poland’s largest retail chain, and believes the acquisition would be the perfect [...]

Mangrove Capital Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm, has made the decision to invest in BeStylish.com, an India based online shoe store. The initial investment is valued at several million dollars. Smile Interactive (www.bestylish.com) Launched by the Smile Interactive Group of India in 2011, BeStylish.com is one of three online shopping sites owned by the [...]

BC Partners, a United Kingdom private equity firm, has sold SOK, a Turkish discount grocery chain, and subsidiary of Migros Ticaret, Turkey’s largest supermarket chain. Gozde Finansal and Bizim Toptan acquired the chain for USD 380.1 million. Murat Ulker is the leading shareholder in both of these firms and is also associated with Ulker group, [...]

Sapato.ru the Russian online shoe retailer, comparable to Zappos, has raised USD 12 million in a new funding round. A majority of the USD 12 million came directly from Intel Capital. Previous investors such as Kinnevik, Direct Group and eVenture Capital accounted for the remaining balance. In a previous round of funding, Sapato was able [...]

General Atlantic, a growth equity investor, has recently opted to back Slovenia based Studio Moderna, an e-commerce and direct-retail platform which targets Central and Eastern Europe. Along with General Atlantic, other investors include: Insight Venture Partners, Templeton Strategic Emerging Marketing Fund III, and JH Partners. Studio Moderna (www.studio-moderna.com) Founded in Slovenia in 1992, Studio Moderna [...]

BaltCap, a large private equity firm, and its minor shareholders, have agreed to sell 100% of the stock that is held in their Baltic Investment Fund III for Adam Auto SIA, to Amserv Group. Amserv Group is a subsidiary of Hansa Auto SIA, the largest auto sales company in Estonia and Latvia. Adam Auto SIA [...]

In its second deal early in the month of April, the UK’s BC Partners have sold their 17.4% share in Turkey’s Migros Ticaret grocery chain through the placement of ordinary shares at USD 16.5 per share. The initial size of the placement was set at USD 26 million but was increased to USD 31 million [...]

Despite official insistence to the contrary, rumors continue to circulate of a possible merger between X5 Retail Group N.V. and other international retailers. In an effort to quell the rumors officials from X5′s primary investor, Alfa Group, issued a stern statement making it very clear they support the current growth of the company and have [...]

China’s online electronics dealer, 360buy.com, has just completed an extraordinary round of financing to the tune of USD 1.5 billion. The fundraising effort involves a group of investors including Russia’s DST, which contributed USD 500 million on its own. 360buy.com reported USD 500 million in funding last December from a list of investors that allegedly [...]

Making good on last year’s announcement of a planned exit from European medical supplies distributor OneMed, CapMan has completed the sale of its shares to 3i. CapMan initially invested in OneMed in 2006, then oversaw an expansion that has resulted in the doubling of annual revenues. With the OneMed exit and a partial exit from [...]

After a somewhat chaotic bidding process that seemed to change almost on a daily basis, Mid Europa has emerged as the winning bidder for Poland’s leading convenience store chain, Zabka Polska. Mid Europa acquires 100% of the company from Penta Investments, pending regulatory approval, after more than three tumultuous months in which investors were not [...]

Penta Investments has begun putting into motion its previously announced plans to divest itself of Żabka by selling the majority of Żabka’s assets in the Czech Republic. The deal, the value of which has been placed at CZK 1.02 billion, gives control of 81 Żabka franchises and 47 Koruna stores to Tesco, a British supermarket concern. [...]

Nearly 5 months after requesting permission from Russia’s anti-monopoly authorities, X5 has reached a deal to acquire Kopeika at a cost of USD 1.65 billion in cash and debt. X5 is owned by Alfa Group. The two companies, rivals in Russia’s retail food sector, have been in talks since mid July. Previously Kopeika had been [...]

Polish takeovers are continuing their recent boom with the announcement that Trakcja Polska, a leading Polish railway company, will purchase Lithuanian builder Tiltra Group. Trakcja will pay PLN 777 million for Tiltra Group and two subsidiaries, AB Kauno Tiltai and Silentio. Trakcja’s stake in AB Kauno will amount to 98% while its stake of Silentio [...]

While Penta investments has been considering a partial divestment from Polish retail convenience store chain Zabka, various investors have lined up to express interest in acquiring the company. Though Penta has made no official decision on its plans for Zabka, and said it wouldn’t do so until 2011, that has not prevented industry experts from [...]

Russian retailer X5 Group, an Alfa investment, has announced the successful completion of their bid to acquire ZAO Ostrov-Invest (Ostrov). Ostrov is a 16-store retail market chain in the Moscow area, which X5 plans to alter through expansion of some of the stores into supermarkets. Remaining locations will be operated as discount outlets. The company [...]

The EBRD is considering a a partnership of sorts with Prometheus Capital Partners and its portfolio company, Pet Retail Group. Prometheus formed Pet Retail Group this past summer via a merger of the Beethoven and ZooBoom retail pet suppliers. The combined company continues operating under the Beethoven brand. The EBRD’s consideration revolves around an indirect [...]

Zabka, the Polish convenience store chain owned by Penta Investments, is poised to shake up the market if Penta follows through on plans to offer part of the company in an IPO next year. The company’s aggressive expansion plans require a infusion of cash, and Penta thinks an IPO of 35% or more may be [...]

East Capital Explorer AB hopes to take advantage of a recovering Georgian economy after announcing intentions to invest in the country’s largest grocery chain, Populi. East Capital will invest €3.7 million through a bridge loan to be converted into a combination of share options and shares. The agreement includes an option for East Capital to [...]

A handful of investors in Slovenian food supplier, Mercator, are looking to sell their shares in the company to Mid Europa Partners. Slovenian bank, Nova Ljubljanska Banka, is reportedly talking with Mid Europa about a deal to sell their 10.75% stake. Arkas, the Ljubljana-based financial adviser managing the sale, has indicated that four other banks [...]