Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management UK (“Westbrooke”) is pleased to announce a significant investment in the acquisition of Freshcut Foods (“Freshcut”) by Flywheel Partners Limited (“Flywheel”).
Freshcut is the UK’s leading value-added supplier of plant-based ingredient solutions, supplying over 330 SKUs to more than 40 blue chip customers across the foodservice and food manufacturing sectors. By taking the complexity away from its customers, embedding itself in its supply chains and leading new product development, Freshcut has created sticky and longstanding relationships with existing customers while at the same time attracting and winning new customers.
Flywheel is led by Avital Lobel and his partner, Simon Singh. The team has a long track record in private equity and formed Flywheel in 2020. The acquisition of Freshcut is the third deal completed by the firm. Lobel and Singh have known and tracked Freshcut for several years and witnessed its impressive progress over the years. Their combined prior experience in the food sector, longstanding knowledge of Freshcut and strong cultural fit made them preferred partners for Freshcut’s management team.
In the case of Freshcut, Westbrooke had unique insights from a commercial due diligence perspective and provided a differentiated proposition to Flywheel as an investment partner.
The Westbrooke Group has a strong track record in private equity, with investments in multiple industries, including retail, FMCG, and industrial and commercial value-add distribution and manufacturing.
Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management seeks to invest with experienced, successful private equity sponsors and operators who share our investment approach and are financially aligned. The business focuses on making investments which display asymmetric risk / return profiles, and which satisfy Westbrooke’s key private equity investment characteristics.
Avital Lobel, Managing Partner of Flywheel, commented: “We are delighted to have Westbrooke on board as a partner in our Freshcut investment. Rob and the team have been exceptionally commercial, responsive and supportive throughout. It has been a great pleasure to work with them and we look forward to our partnership in this exciting investment.”
Robert Grieve, Head of Private Equity UK at Westbrooke, is thrilled about the conclusion of this transaction. He said: “We are excited to be invested in Freshcut with Flywheel. Freshcut’s management team has built a world class business with an ambitious expansion strategy and we are confident in their ability to take this business to the next level during our investment period. We look forward to supporting Flywheel and the Freshcut management team with our capital, experience and expertise.”
For more information about Westbrooke’s Private Equity business, contact us at info@westbrooke.com
About Westbrooke
Established in 2004, Westbrooke is a multi-asset, multi-strategy manager and advisor of alternative investment funds and co-investment platforms. We have a heritage as a shareholder and operator of assets and invest our own capital alongside our investors in Private Debt, Hybrid Capital, Real Estate and Private Equity in South Africa, the UK and the USA. With an overriding focus on protecting downside, we seek to generate predictable, risk-managed, compounding returns for our clients, shareholders and management to cement their future prosperity.
We provide investors with a unique gateway to private market alternative investment opportunities which are traditionally difficult to access and provide businesses and entrepreneurs with fast, flexible, value-added debt and equity solutions which are tailored to meet their needs.
Our stakeholders benefit from the depth of experience and quality of our team and from The Westbrooke Investment & Risk Philosophy and Approach. This, together with our highly aligned financial interests, heritage as an owner and operator of assets, track record and performance and our focus on capital preservation allows our stakeholders to invest with the Westbrooke Advantage.
Westbrooke UK (FRN 792259) is an appointed representative of Capricorn Capital Partners UK Limited (FRN748414) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
About Flywheel Partners
Flywheel Partners is an independent investment firm that is in the business of purposeful capital. The team is focused on investing in companies typically generating between £1-10m of profit with significant growth potential. They work with exceptional management teams and other strategically aligned partners to help businesses unlock value and realise their full potential.
