Beverage News
Oatly Receives Investment From Verlinvest & China Resources
Oatly Natural Outgurt Product Line
Oatly, Scandinavia’s leading lifestyle brand of plant-based products, is pleased to announce that it can now count a newly established Joint-Venture between Verlinvest, the international consumer-focused investor, and China Resources as shareholders. Under the terms of the transaction, China Resources and Verlinvest will invest alongside the Founders and existing shareholders to expand Oatly’s manufacturing footprint in Sweden and fund the Group’s entry into new markets including China and the US.
Oatly is Scandinavia’s leading brand of plant-based, dairy-free products, with a c.40% market share in Sweden. The Company is a pioneer in the Swedish food industry and, through its sustainable high-fibre dairy-free oat-based range, empowers consumers to eat in an ethical and environmentally-friendly way.
This new partnership with Verlinvest and China Resources will enable further investment in the group’s R&D facilities and bring new opportunities to offer Oatly’s unique brand of simple, natural Swedish liquid oat goodness to new consumers worldwide.
“Oatly’s mission is to make it easy for people to eat the healthy food they love, without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources in the process.
In China Resources’ and Verlinvest’s Joint-Venture we have found a highly experienced global-minded partner who understands this unique heritage and brings to Oatly a valuable network as well as operational expertise in key markets.
It will help us bring Oatly’s values and unique patented oat-based technology to new consumers across the world. The investment enables us to add further production capacity and product development resources in Landskrona, creating job opportunities and strengthening our presence globally”, says Toni Petersson, CEO at Oatly.
Frederic De Mevius Chairman of the Board at Verlinvest
Frédéric de Mevius, Chairman of the Board of Verlinvest, said: “We have been very impressed by what the team at Oatly has achieved so far in building the Swedish market leader and we are excited to join them, alongside the existing shareholders, to bring the brand, an icon of Swedish health and sustainability, to a global audience”.
Kerry Zhang, Deputy General Manager of China Resources Holdings Strategy Department commented: “Oatly has built a differentiated lifestyle brand with an ethical approach which we believe will strongly appeal to the Chinese consumer.
The business has developed world class R&D expertise and production facilities in its Landskrona site. We will invest further to ensure that Oatly remains at the leading-edge of oat research, and continues to develop new innovative products for many years to come.”
Source: Verlinvest
