Blumen Group acquires three brands from the Henkel Group

Thanks to the acquisition of Fito, DueCi and Get Off Blumen Group, the Italian leader in the seed sector, reinforces its position as protagonist in plant care and nutrition and opens in the UK and Hungary

Piacenza, 26 October 2015 – Blumen Group, the Italian leader in the production and sale of seeds for the hobbyist and professional markets, announces the purchase of the Fito, DueCi and Get Off labels from the German Henkel Group.

The three labels will be added to the other seven already produced and distributed by Blumen thus broadening their range for plant care and nutrition, which includes such well-known brands as Crescita Miracolosa, and reinforcing the company’s position in this segment, complementary to the seeds market in which Blumen has been the absolute leader since the 1980s.

The acquisition offers Blumen the opportunity to increase their international presence by opening up the UK and Hungarian markets where Get Off and Fito are already distributed.

DueCi has four product lines for plants (nutrition, protection, cosmetic and soils), Fito manufactures plants and flower care products which are distributed in garden centres and DIY stores, while Get Off produces dog and cat repellents.

With Get Off, Blumen enters a new market segment, similar to the pet care market, which the group intends to develop further with its sales network in both large scale and specialized retailers.

“This acquisition is fundamental for our strategy of consolidation and development which we have been applying for several years and which has established Blumen as absolute leader in the Italian seeds market and has now launched the company into the European market not only this segment but also for plant care,” commented Roberto Tencani, Managing Director of Blumen. “Thanks to the synergy in distribution we will be able to create, we expect to reach a turnover of € 35 million in 2016, compared to € 30 million forecast for this year, and we are confident of further growth in the next few years.”

“Adding these prestigious new brands to Blumen’s catalogue is of particular satisfaction to me, but also a new stimulus to further expand the distribution of our products in Europe,” says Raffaele Falangi, Head of the hobbyist division in Blumen. “Through the international sales network of Fito and Get Off, we will promote our selected brands, developing synergies which will enable us to expand our presence rapidly in high potential countries such as Great Britain which has a strong gardening tradition and culture.”

The acquisition of the labels was carried out with the support of IGI SGR, the majority shareholder of Blumen Group through its fund IGI Investimenti Quattro since 2012 when it invested in the company with the aim of sustaining its plan for growth and international expansion.

Matteo Cirla, Managing Director of IGI SGR says, “The excellent growth of the last few years, thanks to the commitment of the management and the possibility to carry out acquisitions in Italy and abroad, has made Blumen one of the best investments of IGI SGR and affirms the soundness of our investment strategy in Italian SME which are leaders in their market niches.”

Blumen Group was assisted in the acquisition process by Vitale & Co. as financial advisors and by the law firm, Gitti Raynaud & Partners.