EQT Opportunity backs retailer

EQT Opportunity, EQT’s turnaround fund, has acquired the retail chain Granngården from Lantmännen, a group owned by 42,000 Swedish farmers.

Granngården is the largest nationwide retail chain of its kind in Sweden, addressing the needs of animal and pet-lovers as well as householders and gardeners. It also carries a wide range of products for farmers and those involved in forestry.

Granngården has 106 own stores and around 20 independent dealers in Sweden. Sales in 2007 amounted to SEK 2.4 billion and Granngården has approximately 1,000 employees. Granngården also has an on-line e-commerce subsidiary called Nordpost.

Samir Kamal, partner at EQT Partners, said: ”Together with the employees, EQT intends to continue to develop Granngården to become a unified and profitable retail chain with a clear and competitive product offering. To fully realise the potential in Granngården, both Lantmännen, an important supplier, and the Lantmännen members, an important customer group, will play crucial roles.”

The acquisition is the seventh by the EQT Opportunity fund since its inception in the beginning of 2006. EQT Opportunity fund has an available investment capital of €372 million. It invests in mid-sized companies with a sound underlying business and clear potential for value creation but that find themselves in special situations requiring both capital and an active owner.