LONDON, 16 May 2022 – Arc, the global events, data, and media platform backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, announced today it has entered into an investment partnership with Bridge2Food, a membership and events business in the plant-based food and proteins industry.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Bridge2Food operates the largest global collaboration platform for innovation leaders in the food and beverage industry, the Global Industry Plant-Based Foods & Proteins Ecosystem. Through its Ecosystem, as well as annual summits and academy courses, Bridge2Food has created a network of over 10,000 business and technical experts in the food industry.
Bridge2Food Founder, Gerard Klein Essink, said “For over 20 years, Bridge2Food has brought together a global network of professionals striving to advance actions for a better food world. We’ve been the go-to platform for research and innovations in the plant-based food community, and we are excited to advance and accelerate our development as part of the Arc network. Together, we will be able to open even more doors for the research and industry professionals in our Ecosystem.”
Arc Group CEO, Simon Foster, said, “I’m delighted to welcome Bridge2Food to the Arc network. Gerard and his team have long-championed the community-focused membership model for uniting industry and driving change. We are enthusiastically supportive of this vision and look forward to working with him and the team to continue this spirit of innovation and transformation both in this sector as well as throughout the wider Arc network.”
Bridge2Food joins Arc’s robust portfolio of content and event assets in the agriculture sector, reinforcing Arc’s commitment to the vital, globally-connected, industry. Arc’s existing agricultural portfolio, Agriconnect, includes flagship brands Farmer’s Guardian and LAMMA, as well as Farm Business Innovation, the leading series of rural diversification events.
This is Arc’s first investment in Europe, and fourth deal in the past eight months, following on from last month’s acquisition of Incisive Media. Arc is continuing its development as the next generation events and media platform supporting B2B communities around the world.
Canson Capital Partners, a participant in the Arc partnership since its inception, served as financial adviser to Arc. Collingwood Advisory advised Bridge2Food on the transaction.
About
Bridge2Food
Bridge2Food is a global leader in the plant-based foods and alternative proteins sector. Since 2002, it has been working to connect professionals, researchers and industry, to organize summits that grow ideas into actions, to educate in hands-on academy courses, and to develop ecosystems that foster innovation.
Arc
Arc is a B2B events and media platform, backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital. Founded to redefine business networking, Arc organises over 100 events a year and runs some of the foremost content platforms in agriculture, business sustainability, and financial services. Based in the UK and the Netherlands, Arc [operates three businesses and] has 200 talented colleagues focused on seeking out new ways to connect communities, wherever, whenever, or however, people need to come together to grow their business.
EagleTree Capital
EagleTree Capital is a leading New York-based middle-market private equity firm that has completed over 35 private equity investments and over 75 add-on transactions over the past 20+ years. EagleTree primarily invests in North America in the following sectors: media and business services, consumer, and water and specialty industrial. For more information, visit www.eagletree.com or find EagleTree on LinkedIn.
Canson Capital Partners
Canson Capital Partners is a leading Alternative Capital focused Advisory and Merchant Banking firm. Providing senior advice and principal to principal engagement, we seek to connect sources of Alternative Capital with specific opportunities enabling our clients to achieve their long-term strategic objectives. Canson has advised on over $60 billion of transactions since inception, with a strong track record of partnership focused transactions, and have c. $500m AUM invested alongside our clients. Notably, Canson advised Providence on its £600m sale of Clarion Events to Blackstone. Canson Capital Partners is the trading name of Canson Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For more information, please visit www.cansoncp.com
Contact
Caitlin Read
[email protected]
+44 (0) 7727 860756