Phatisa
is pleased to announce the first close of its successor fund to the
African Agriculture Fund (AAF) – Phatisa Food Fund 2 (PFF 2), which has
received capital commitments in excess of US$ 120 million. Given the
strong interest, and with subsequent investors in different stages of their
processes, Phatisa will continue with rolling closings and expects to reach a
final close target of US$ 300 million by mid-2019.
For
PFF 2, Phatisa will continue its focus on the team’s core skill set – the
African food value chain – considering investments in mechanisation, inputs,
poultry and meat production, food processing and manufacturing, logistics,
aggregation and distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Targeting buy-out and
expansion transactions with an investment size of between US$ 15 million and
US$ 25 million, building and exiting regional platforms.
As
with AAF, by raising international capital to be invested into Africa’s food
value chain, PFF 2 is aligning itself with the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing in particular SDG 1: No
poverty and SDG 2: Zero hunger, through its material contribution to food
security. With its investment into African businesses, Phatisa has already
accounted for the production of over 2.6 million tonnes of food and
food-related products and will continue to mark its progress by measuring its
impacts against the SDGs.
Together
with TechnoServe, Phatisa is aiming to raise a second technical assistance
facility (TAF) to work alongside PFF 2, building on the lessons learnt and
TAF’s success in AAF. The use of blended finance will enable the firm to
increase the development impact as well as to enhance financial returns.
The first close was timed to facilitate the completion
of the Fund’s first transactions, setting the anticipated investment pace.
Stuart
Bradley, Joint Managing Partner: ‘We are delighted to achieve this milestone. Re-investments from our
first Fund account for 88% of commitments, demonstrating strong support from
AAF investors. We continue to attract the private sector, with a 70:30 split
between commercial investors and development finance institutions at first
close. With this round, we have now raised more than US$ 400 million for the
African food and housing sectors.’
Duncan
Owen, Joint Managing Partner: ‘Phatisa is preparing to exit a number of AAF investments. We are
tracking solid
returns, which we plan to replicate in PFF 2 – especially around inputs,
mechanisation, logistics and FMCG. This is where our team of industry
specialists from Unilever, Afgri, P&G, SAB Miller, Diageo and Imperial,
feel at home.’
Valentine
Chitalu, Phatisa Chairman: ‘We have built a great team that has been recognised through the support
of our investor base. The team has demonstrated its ability to source and
execute proprietary transactions and use our in-house industry skills to drive
real value in our portfolio companies. I am very proud of what we have achieved
and excited by the opportunity ahead.’
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