27 Jun 2014

Acquisition of Boncafé group

Rajah & Tann LLP, together with its Thai regional office, Rajah & Tann (Thailand) Limited, Malaysian associate office, Christopher & Lee Ong, and Cambodian regional office, R&T Sok & Heng Law Office, acted for Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group SpA in its acquisition of the Boncafé group, which has operations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The aggregate value of the deal is US$85 million and includes the acquisition of Boncafé's roasting plants in Thailand and Singapore.

Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group is the first private group in the global coffee market. The Boncafé Group is a leader in the roasting and sale of gourmet coffee and coffee machine equipment in Southeast Asia and Middle East and currently distributes its products and services in 15 different markets around the world. With this acquisition, the Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group will be able to reinforce its presence in the region, in particular Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates.

This deal involved Rajah & Tann LLP co-ordinating and working with local counsels in four other jurisdictions in Southeast Asia and Middle East in advising Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group SpA on the various local legal requirements in connection with the acquisition.

The involvement of Rajah & Tann’s offices in Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia displays its strength in leveraging upon the collective expertise of its regional offices, its regional network as well as its regional capabilities to provide one-stop services to clients.

Partners Chia Kim Huat, Lorena Pang, Kala Anandarajah, Dominique Lombardi, Benjamin Cheong, Lim Mei Ann, Larry Lim and Ruth Lin, and associates Kalyn Liang, Ann Tay, Koh Choon Yee and Ezzah Ong were the partners and lawyers involved from Rajah & Tann LLP. The other partners and lawyers from the regional and associate offices who took part in the transaction were: Nattarat Boonyatap, Dussadee Rattanopas, Wansiva Puntawong, Sarunrat Smuthkochorn and Tipanan Sirichana (Rajah & Tann (Thailand) Limited); Yon See Ting, Kelvin Kho, John Tan and Tang Hung Ping (Christopher & Lee Ong); and Heng Chhay, Tiv Sophonnora and Savada Prom (R&T Sok & Heng Law Office).