Nestlé Acquires Majority Stake in Terrafertil

Nestlé announced that it has acquired a majority stake in Terrafertil, a company selling natural, organic, plant-based foods and healthy snacks.

The move widens Nestlé’s presence in a fast-growing category in Latin America, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Terrafertil, and its flagship brand ‘NATURE’S HEART®’, is recognised for its wide portfolio of natural and mostly organic products. It is the world’s largest buyer of goldenberries (Physalis), an Andean superfood high in vitamins and antioxidants. The company was founded in 2005 in Ecuador by five entrepreneurs and is managed by three founding brothers, David, Raul and Daniel Bermeo. It quickly expanded its presence in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, and the United Kingdom. In 2017, it entered the United States with the purchase of ‘ESSENTIAL LIVING FOODS®’. Terrafertil has received international recognition for its positive social impact through its work with hundreds of small farmers. It employs 400 people and has four factories in Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia and Chile.

The transaction includes all of Terrafertil’s operations and assets in the seven countries where it operates.

White & Case advised Nestlé with Bryan Luchs, Daren Orzechowski, Rebecca Farrington, Daniel Levin, Jacquelyn MacLennan, Marc Israel, John Kim, Victoria Rosamond, Jason Krause, Chris Hinman, Dilara Erik, Chen Zhang, Choi Li, Micaela Glass, Sophie Sahlin, Anneka Randhawa, Helen Levendi, Daniel Rosenberg, Peter Chan, Iker Arriola, Pedro Morales, Rodrigo Avendaño, Fernanda Solís-Cámara Díaz and Ulises Patiño.

In Brazil, Lacaz Martins, Pereira Neto, Gurevich & Schoueri advised Terrafertil with Cristiano Diogo de Faria and Sergio Marcon.