US financial investor Butterfly Equity has acquired ePac Flexible Packaging, a specialist in digitally printed flexible packaging. The acquisition strengthens Butterfly's position along the value chain in the food and beverage sector and marks its first entry into the packaging market with a platform investment.
Los Angeles-based Butterfly Equity is acquiring ePac Holdings from a consortium of investors including Amcor and Indevco North America. ePac is a leading provider of digitally printed flexible packaging for consumer goods manufacturers and is particularly well positioned in the food sector. The purchase price was not disclosed.
ePac was founded in 2016 and specialises in flexible packaging solutions for fast-growing brands in the consumer packaged goods segment. The business model is based on the company's proprietary technology platform ePacONE, which enables demand-orientated, multi-site production. The company operates 14 production sites in the USA and Canada and offers automated quotation processes, short delivery times and uniform product quality across the entire network.
No personnel changes
The existing management team led by CEO and co-founder Virag Patel will remain in place following the takeover and will continue to hold a significant stake in ePac. Patel explained that ePac has redefined the packaging model in recent years through the use of advanced technologies. The partnership with Butterfly now marks a new phase of growth in which technological platforms such as ePacONE will be further developed and expanded.
Investors are also emphasising the strategic importance of the acquisition. Vishal Patel, Partner and Head of Investment Team at Butterfly, explained that packaging is a central component of the food value chain. Butterfly's industry experience in the food sector should help to further drive ePac's growth and at the same time strengthen its focus on service and customer proximity.
Butterfly Equity invests exclusively in the global food sector and, by its own account, pursues a data-driven and operationally focussed approach. Since its foundation in 2016, the company has invested in numerous brands and platforms across the food ecosystem.
Source: Butterfly Equity
