Wine and alternative finance, Anthilia Capital Partners invests €3 million in Velenosi

The most dynamic wine businesses are increasingly turning to alternative finance to invest and grow. As Velenosi did, one of the most important realities of Marche wine, led by Angela Velenosi, with vineyards between Marche and Abruzzo, capable of a production around 2.5 million bottles each year, and which, in the last 3 years, has seen a growth of its presence in the most important large-scale retail channels, mainly in Italy (thanks to the strong recovery in domestic consumption), and abroad, where the company realizes more than 40% of total sales (from a turnover of almost 12 million euros, ed.). After a first positive experience between 2018 and 2023, Velenosi saw Anthilia Capital Partners Sgr, through its “Anthilia Bit IV Co-Investment Fund and Anthilia Must” funds, underwrite a new €3 million bond issue “in favor of Velenosi srl, an Italian company active in the production and marketing of medium-high-end wines and with a solid international presence”.
Velenosi, a joint note explains, has a track record already well underway with Anthilia: a €3 million bond (maturing in December 2023) was signed in 2018 to support the first development plan. In detail, the new bond loan also underwritten for €3 million, has maturity set for December 2029 and provides for “amortizing” repayment of capital shares. Anthilia will support Velenosi Vini’s new investment plan, focused on medium- to long-term objectives, to consolidate volume growth and production development (land and plants), as well as promote the efficiency of working capital management and further expansion in international markets. Investments, in particular, will be aimed at improving production facilities and purchasing equipment to optimize and increase the agricultural fund, as well as installing new viticultural equipment to ensure greater control and better management in grape production.
“The previous experience with Anthilia Capital Partners went very well, it was an operation that allowed us to grow not only dimensionally but also culturally”, Angela Velenosi explains, to WineNews, “and, therefore, we felt by mutual agreement to put in place a new operation with the aim of continuing in the development furrow we had undertaken. This is a reality that knows us and understands our dynamics and I would say that it is now in some way part of the company; we are truly honored to have them as a partner and to collect their trust. The use of alternative finance then is increasingly important. The double pillar represents an opportunity for companies in our sector, which are increasingly involved in medium- to long-term financial dynamics and investments so that placing these forms of financing alongside the more usual banking sources allows for better planning”.
Barbara Ellero, Partner and Head of Private Capital at Anthilia Capital Partners commented: “we renew with great satisfaction our support to Velenosi, a company that has been able to adapt to different and complex market conditions and that today represents a unique experience in the sector. The Italian wine market boasts business stories with enormous potential, especially if accompanied by an international industrial vision, where Italian wine finds outlets that guarantee very interesting annual growth rates. We are convinced that the company’s investment plans will be able to make the most of the development opportunity both domestically, thanks to consolidated relationships with the large-scale retail trade, and abroad, thanks to the already solid presence and relationships with the hotel industry sector (horeca)”.
“The finalization of this new transaction with Anthilia Capital Partners”, added Paolo Garbini, chairman of the Board of Directors of Velenosi srl, “will enable our company to pursue its growth objectives and successfully meet the competitive challenges that the national and international market offers us. Anthilia Capital Partners Sgr is an independent Italian company dedicated to asset management on behalf of institutional and private clients. Thanks to its specialization and experience in its target segments, the Sgr has been able to establish itself since 2008 by focusing on the values required by investors: specialization, transparency, and absolute return. The company has reached assets under management of 2.5 billion euros with 1.5 billion invested in private capital and a leading position in the Italian small cap segment. Major investors include the European Investment Fund, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the Italian Investment Fund, and several European insurance and banking groups of primary standing. The firm Simposium & Associati, through Dr. Michele Sasso, acted as technical advisor, assisting the Issuer in drafting the Business Plan. Through attorney Francesco Corallini Garampi, it carried out Legal Advisory and contractual transactions.