Sparring Capital announces the sale of Pure Trade to AGIC Capital
Founded in 1996 within The Brand Nation, from which it became independent in 2015, Pure Trade is a major player in the promotional products and high-end packaging markets for leading luxury and cosmetics brands.
The Group has developed a comprehensive and innovative range of services and products (pouches/bags, coffrets, textile, accessories, primary packaging, etc.) through an agile and flexible operating model supported by a network of more than 50 international supply partners.
Convinced of the relevance of Pure Trade‘s positioning and its growth potential, Sparring Capital acquired a majority stake in February 2020 alongside its management team led by Stefane Ladous (CEO and Founder), Virginie Honoré (Managing Director) and Mona Lee (Managing Director Asia).
With the support of its shareholders, the Group has since achieved sustained growth across all the continents on which it operates (offices in Paris, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai and New York). Meanwhile, it has expanded its client base through the acquisition of prestigious brands. The Group, which employs more than 80 people worldwide, aims at reaching €90m of revenues in 2023.
Pure Trade has also substantially strengthened its innovation capabilities and enhanced its sourcing to become a key partner for major luxury brands regarding sustainability considerations. The Group is one of the first industry players offering life cycle analyses and environmental impact assessments of its products. This CSR excellence is reflected by a “Platinum” EcoVadis ranking.
Led by a dynamic management team with strong expertise in the international luxury market, the Group is well-positioned to continue its development with the support of AGIC Capital, its new shareholder.
Stefane Ladous, CEO of Pure Trade, comments: : “Sparring Capital has always been very close to us and trusted us throughout turbulent times, thereby enabling us to lead and develop the Group confidently. The shared values and the quality of the teams around Arnaud Leclercq have been essential to the success of this adventure. Sparring Capital has been a precious partner in our structuring process, which has helped us to become the Group that we are today. Many thanks to the entire team for their support, their availability and the quality of our interactions over this great partnership! “
Arnaud Leclercq, CEO of Sparring Capital, adds: “We invested in Pure Trade in February 2020, and the company’s strong resilience during the Covid crisis rapidly confirmed our analysis of its excellent positioning. Pure Trade is indeed one of the few players in its field to have successfully established itself as a true partner for luxury brands, which entrust the group with ever-growing volumes. The company’s success is based on an in-depth understanding of its customers’ expectations, who are known for their high standards and their desire for perfect quality of execution. The way Pure Trade has managed to turn CSR challenges into an opportunity to strengthen its partnership with clients is emblematic. We congratulate Stefane and his team, whom we have been delighted to support.”
Stakeholders
Seller
Sparring Capital
Arnaud Leclercq, Tancrède Colas, Raphaël Campion
Management
Stefane Ladous, Virginie Honoré, Mona Lee
Acquirer
AGIC Capital
Heiko von Dewitz, Cathy Duan-Plainer, Manuel Gadau
Seller’s advisors
MA Advisor
Rothschild Co
Jean-Christophe Quiniou, Romain Golven, Marc-Antoine Even, Juliette Doblin
MA Financing
Rothschild Co
Pierre Pessans-Goyheneix, Alexandre Duhem
Legal Advisor
Reed Smith
Marc Fredj, Antea Bonito
Financial Due Diligence
KPMG Transaction Services
Antoine Bernabeu, Paul De Ghellinck, Alexis Brusacoram
Strategic ESG Due Diligence
PwC Strategy
Anne-Lise Glauser, Enrique Castillo Schwank, Thaïs Fievet
Legal Advisor (Management)
PDGB Avocats
Thierry Jestin, Roy Arakelian, Ludovic Ribes