Cibus has acquired Aweta from Standard Investment

September 2026 — Standard Investment has reached an agreement with Cibus Capital, advisor to the Cibus funds, on the sale of Aweta, a global leader in fruit and vegetable sorting, grading and packing equipment. Completion of the transaction is expected in the coming weeks. The transaction provides Aweta with a strong partner to support the company’s next growth phase. Under Cibus’ ownership, Aweta will pursue further international growth and accelerate investment in R&D, supporting the installed base and product innovation, including software and AI capabilities. Aweta’s leadership team will continue to lead the business.

For more than 60 years, Aweta has been a global market leader in the design, assembly and service of post-harvest sorting, grading and packing equipment for the fresh produce industry. Aweta has a leading position in the greenhouse vegetable market, particularly for cucumbers and peppers. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company’s technology-driven solutions are critical to the value chain, enabling producers and packhouses to optimize yield, reduce waste and meet the exact quality standards demanded by modern retailers and consumers. With US$97 million in annual revenue and more than 250 employees, Aweta’s systems are deployed across an extensive installed base in over 50 countries.

Cibus Fund II is a sustainable food and agriculture investment fund managed by Cibus Capital, a London-based firm founded in 2016. It invests at the intersection of technology, food and agriculture, backing businesses that create impact through differentiated products and capabilities that build sustainable competitive advantages and make value chains more resilient. For Cibus, Aweta is a familiar name. One of Cibus Fund II’s portfolio companies is an Aweta customer, and the red Aweta machines have been running in its sorting and packing facilities for years. That first-hand experience, together with Aweta’s technology leadership, differentiated product portfolio, extensive installed base, growing aftermarket potential and mission-critical role in fruit and vegetable operations, aligns closely with Cibus’ investment themes.

Standard Investment, a shareholder of Aweta since 2013, is a private equity firm focused on hands-on investments in Northwest Europe. The firm operates on the philosophy that direct involvement with portfolio companies delivers the best results. Its team of investment professionals manages a portfolio of 24 companies with more than 4,500 employees and a turnover of over US$1.7 billion.

Our role in the transaction

Oaklins’ team in the Netherlands acted as the exclusive sell-side advisor to Aweta’s shareholders, including the majority shareholder Standard Investment and the management team. This transaction demonstrates Oaklins’ strong track record in the food and horticulture equipment space as well as the broader industrial technology and industrial automation sectors. In addition, it underpins Oaklins’ extensive deal experience in advising founders and private equity investors on monetizing industry-leading businesses. As part of the process, Oaklins’ debt advisory team conducted a broad lender education procedure, followed by selected lender engagement with highly interested lenders to work toward (firmer) indicative financing terms. This tailored approach enhanced execution certainty, accelerated the transaction process and provided prospective buyers with access to attractive, non-exclusive financing options, with the definitive financing partner emerging from this process. This integrated approach highlights our strength as a full-service corporate finance house, seamlessly combining strategic M&A and debt advisory services to deliver maximum value for our clients.