Den Berk Délice accelerates growth through strategic partnership

December 2024 — Den Berk Délice, a leading Belgian grower of specialty tomatoes, has entered a strategic partnership with Egeria, an independent investment firm, to realize its next growth phase.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in Den Berk Délice’s strategy to expand its European presence and to further strengthen its position in the specialty tomato segment. The partnership specifically aims to seize opportunities for both organic growth and strategic acquisitions, further develop its recently launched operations in Morocco and expand its client base of top European retailers.

Egeria has acquired a majority stake from the current shareholders, who will retain a substantial interest in the company. As the new partner in Den Berk Délice's shareholder structure, Egeria will closely collaborate with the management team and existing shareholders, who will continue to play an active role in Den Berk Délice's further development and growth.

Den Berk Délice is the market leader in specialty tomatoes in Northern and Western Europe. As a fresh retail partner, Den Berk Délice aspires to be the absolute leader in taste, concepts and presentation while focusing on snack vegetables as an additional growth pillar. This is achieved through its collaboration with the Hoogstraten cooperative. The company operates eight state-of-the-art greenhouses covering a total area of 80 hectares. These are partially equipped with LED lighting and e-boilers for sustainable cultivation and are supported by a CO2-neutral sorting and packaging facility. The recent expansion into Morocco enables Den Berk Délice to meet year-round demand and better serve the growing needs of its European retail partners.

Luc Beirinckx, Koen Lauwerysen, Paul Van de Mierop and Hans van Gool have been working closely together since the late 1990s. Sharing the same profession and passion, their collaboration resulted in the founding of Den Berk Délice in 2014. Ten years later, the company boasts a turnover of approximately €150 million and employs 900 people, including seasonal workers.

Egeria, founded in 1997, is an independent investment firm based in the Netherlands, focusing on medium-sized companies in Europe and the United States. The firm invests in healthy companies with an enterprise value between €50 million and €350 million. Egeria aims to build strong, sustainable companies by working closely with entrepreneurial management teams. Its portfolio companies have a combined turnover of approximately €2.5 billion and employ close to 13,000 people.

Our role in the transaction

Oaklins’ teams in Belgium and the Netherlands acted as the exclusive sell-side advisor to Den Berk Délice in this transaction. This deal highlights Oaklins’ extensive expertise in supporting transactions in the horticulture and agriculture sectors. With deep sector knowledge and a proven track record, Oaklins continues to be a trusted advisor.