CriteriaCaixa will invest in Europastry as an anchor investor in its IPO

CriteriaCaixa, the holding company managing ”la Caixa” Foundation’s business assets, has formalised its interest in the acquisition of a stake of Europastry in the context of the company’s Initial Public Offering process (IPO). To this end, CriteriaCaixa has committed to acquiring up to a 5% stake of the company in the IPO, subject to certain customary conditions in this kind of deals.

The deal is part of CriteriaCaixa’s investment policy, which selects leading companies in highly attractive sectors with a strong capacity for growth and value generation. This investment will allow CriteriaCaixa to gain exposure to the food industry. It also fits into CriteriaCaixa’s strategy of seeking investment options with a long-term focus that also allow for an attractive dividend.

Founded in 1987 in Barcelona, Europastry is a family-owned company that is today the number one international pure player in the industry. Thanks to the use of freeze as a preservation method, it is transforming the frozen dough bakery, combining tradition, innovation and raw material quality. The company is nowadays present in more than 80 countries worldwide through its 27 production plants and has a clear focus on ESG strategy (environmental, social and governance).

Last June, CriteriaCaixa presented its Strategic Plan for the period 2025-2030, which prioritizes providing an uninterrupted and growing dividend to “la Caixa” Foundation that allows to continue developing its social action. At the same time, the Plan reaffirms CriteriaCaixa’s role as a stabilizing agent of the Spanish economy, reinforcing the commitment to companies in strategic industries such as banking, energy, telecommunications and utilities, as well as promoting future industrial development through investment in new sectors and projects.

The new plan continues the strategy that CriteriaCaixa has implemented in recent months, with deals such as the increase in Telefónica’s stakeholding (9.9%), as well as the entry into the capital of other top-level companies such as ACS (9.4%), Colonial (17%) and Puig (3%).