Management buyout

In a management buyout or MBO we acquire a controlling stake in the company alongside its management team and then jointly develop the company’s operational plans and future strategy. What matters most in this type of transaction is management’s commitment to meeting both the immediate and the long-term strategic goals.

JNT Group, Poland’s leading producer and distributor of wines and wine-based alcoholic beverages, was acquired by PEF VII in 2017. We saw the company’s ability to create brands with compelling customer appeal and the broad JNT footprint in the modern retail channels as core strengths. Crucially, we were impressed by the management team, which presented us with a solid plan for growing the business by moving it upmarket from its price-focused niche. We decided to back the team through a management buyout, jointly purchasing a 100% stake from the founders.

JNT Group subsequently reoriented its portfolio toward mid- and upmarket grape wines as well as related beverages, gradually phasing out the legacy portfolio of cheap fruit wine products. Since 2017, in the core segment of table wines, the company has been growing at a 25% CAGR – four times the rate recorded across the entire segment. Endorsements from Poland’s top chefs and celebrities have opened new customer segments and boosted expansion through horeca and other attractive sales channels. We continue partnering with the management team and setting ambitious new growth targets for JNT Group.