AgriFORCE To Acquire One Of The Largest Tissue Culture Propagation Companies With Annual Revenues Of Over $40 Million

Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.

AgriFORCE Growing Systems Ltd. AGRI AGRIW has entered into a binding letter of intent to acquire Deroose Plants NV (“Deroose”), one of the largest tissue culture propagation companies in the world with a leadership position in horticulture, plantation crops, and fruit and vegetables.  

Founded in 1980, Deroose has multi-national operations in Europe, North America, and Asia, over 2.11 million square feet of laboratory and greenhouse facilities¹, and over 800 employees². Deroose’s unaudited 2021 revenues were US$40.5 million³ with EBITDA of approximately US$4.2 million⁴.

The binding LOI is subject to completion of standard due diligence and entry into a definitive purchase agreement, which shall include commercially standard terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, representations and warranties, covenants, events of default and conditions to closing.

The net purchase price by AgriFORCE is expected to be approximately US$69 million.  The purchase price represents approximately $46.4 million for the Deroose business on a cash and debt free basis and $22.6 million for the IP portfolio.

Transaction Highlights

The AgriFORCE acquisition of Deroose is expected to provide the following strategic benefits:

• Strengthens AgriFORCE’s integrated AgTech business model by providing a leading position in tissue culture propagation and plant cultivation, including a robust IP portfolio, aimed at delivering increased crop yields with a reduced environmental footprint.
• Enables AgriFORCE and Deroose to drive further growth in core markets for the development and trade of horticulture, plantation crops, as well as fruits and vegetables, building on Deroose’s IP, driving improved genetics and higher yields. 
• Building on Deroose’s strong financial performance and consistent growth in multiple locations across the world, AgriFORCE and Deroose plan for additional growth through expansion into new and high-value crops. 

Ingo Mueller, CEO of AgriFORCE Growing Systems, commented: “Adding to the momentum of our recent definitive agreement with Delphy Groep BV (Delphy), we look forward to welcoming Deroose into the AgriFORCE family of companies, as we continue to move forward with our vision to become a world leader in delivering next-generation foods and plant products for businesses and consumers.”

Mueller added, “We believe this positions AgriFORCE and Deroose to deliver value by maximizing the sustainability and productivity of available land, especially in tropical climates. In addition, we believe Deroose’s IP provides significant barriers to entry to potential competitors, given the robust patent estate, and typical timelines to research and develop such processes, which could easily exceed a decade. Finally, with the Deroose acquisition, we see opportunities to capitalize on a variety of business synergies, including building on Deroose’s Florida Campus to replicate Delphy’s R&D innovation center for the North American markets.” 

Maurice van Winden, the CEO of Deroose Plants NV, added: “With over 40 years of history, Deroose is a highly innovative company specialized in tissue culture propagation, and we are very excited to join AgriFORCE. Both our IP and vision are highly complementary, as we are committed to growth through the development of new plants, new cultivation techniques, and pursuing new market opportunities. We are extremely excited about commercializing our new portfolio of genetics for plantation and food crops.”

“We have invested over a decade in the development of this IP and believe we can significantly improve the impact that these crops have on the environment while providing much-needed supply sources to the rubber and food industries. Furthermore, strengthening our foothold in North America and accelerating growth into new crops is a strong focus for us in the years ahead.”

¹As per management’s previously audited financial statements. 

²https://derooseplants.com/our-company--history/

³Euro to US Dollar Spot Exchange Rates for 2021: Average exchange rate in 2021: 1.183 USD

⁴EBITDA Reconciliation

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.