Acoura is the leading independent provider of risk and compliance solutions to the entire food and drink supply chain.
The Acoura Group was brought together over the past 5 years under the ownership of Canter Equity. Canter identified the opportunity to build a disruptive, technology led solutions provider across the entire food supply chain.
With technology at the core of its customer-centric service offering, the company is able to offer market leading risk management, supplier management, audit, certification, and inspection services.
Acoura’s Assist and Supply technology solutions enable customers to manage risk within their business and across their supply chain.
The company provides its range of services to an impressive client base across the marine, agriculture, processing, retail and leisure sectors.
We were engaged to advise the shareholders on a potential exit given strong market conditions and the continued success of the company.
With Acoura forecasting strong growth based upon an impressive pipeline we ensured the message was clear to potential acquirers that they would need to pay a strategic premium to acquire the business today.
This strategic premium was key to ensure that the shareholders realised a proportion of the future value they have created.
The acquirer, Lloyd’s Register, saw the significant value that Acoura would bring to its existing operations and provides Acoura with a platform for accelerated international expansion.
The team ran a highly competitive and efficient market process. It resulted in the remaining parties significantly increasing their initial offer to achieve an excellent outcome for the shareholders and management.
This is a fantastic result for Acoura's investors, shareholders, staff and most importantly its customers. Lloyds Register are a natural home for the business and I am sure the success of Acoura will continue under their ownership. Grant Thornton have been involved in Acoura throughout our ownership providing audit, tax, acquisition and ultimately corporate finance support during the sale. Wendy, Nigel and their team were outstanding throughout and helped deliver exceptional returns for Canter Equity Partners. I could not recommend them and the team at Grant Thornton highly enough.
Paul Egan Partner, Canter Equity Partners
