Munich, July 13, 2023 - AURELIUS Wachstumskapital has acquired the BVN group of companies. The acquisition of the regionally leading BVN group of companies, including the four individual companies, offers a strong starting position for growth within the framework of the buy and build approach of AURELIUS Wachstumskapital.

The BVN Group was founded in 1978. With its four closely linked individual companies - Betriebsverpflegung Nord GmbH (BVN), HKH Hamburger Küche & Heimkost GmbH (HKH), Hanse Menü-Dienst und Senioren-Verpflegung Lübeck GmbH (HMD) and CC Campus Catering GmbH (CC) - BVN, with its more than 400 employees, is a leading regional provider of meals for senior citizens (meals on wheels) and school catering.

In the course of the transaction, the shareholders of HKH and HMD, Kirsten Brauer and Stefan Brauer, will leave as part of a succession solution, with Sebastian Brauer now being solely responsible for the operational management of HKH and HMD. Keyan and Ramin Forouhideh will continue to act as operational managing directors of BVN and CC and will remain shareholders.

BVN produces meals in a commercial kitchen on behalf of the other group companies. In addition, BVN also supplies external third parties (such as day-care centres, old people's homes and social institutions) to a small extent. HKH is the largest provider of meals for senior citizens in the greater Hamburg area. HMD also specialises in the senior citizens' catering segment, with a regional focus on Lübeck and Kiel. CC specialises in daily catering for schools in the Hamburg metropolitan region and in Schleswig-Holstein.

“Personalities determine success.  The successful succession of Sebastian Brauer as operational managing director for HKH and HMD sends a strong signal to that effect. As managing directors and co-partners, Keyan and Ramin Forouhideh will continue to support our growth course.We are convinced that together we will drive the success story of the BVN group forward,” says Nico Vitense, Managing Partner of AURELIUS Wachstumskapital.

“AURELIUS' investment is a milestone and the beginning of a new chapter in which we will continue to build on BVN's success with their support,” added Ramin Forouhideh, Managing Director and shareholder of BVN.

“Over many years we have built up, established and successfully positioned BVN. It is therefore with great pride that we are now able to undertake the next stage in our growth journey together with a partner who, like us, is entrepreneurial and thinks in terms of vision,” says Keyan Forouhideh, Managing Director and Partner of BVN.

“Following in a company's footsteps is always a big step. I am very pleased that we have taken this step in the family and look forward to my contribution to the growth of the group of companies in the field of catering for the elderly, together with our new partners,” says Sebastian Brauer.

The transaction was managed by AURELIUS Growth Investments with Nico Vitense (Managing Partner), Saskia Puschmann (Investment Manager), Florian Scheck (Senior Investment Associate) and Katharina Schüler (Investment Associate).

AURELIUS Growth Investments was supported in the transaction by aquimer (Karsten Wagenzik, M&A), Bluemont Consulting (Markus Fränkel and Sascha Vollmerhausen, Commercial Due Diligence), Moore Rhein-Ruhr Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (Frank Honig and Christian Heinz, Financial and Tax Due Diligence) and Kuzaj Wittmann (Hans-Jörg Wittmann, Legal Due Diligence and Legal Advice).

About the BVN Group
Founded in 1978, the BVN Group is a Norderstedt-based leading group of companies in the field of catering for senior citizens and schools. With over 400 employees in the four individual companies Betriebsverpflegung Nord GmbH, HKH Hamburger Küche & Heimkost GmbH, Hanse Menü-Dienst und Senioren-Verpflegung Lübeck GmbH and CC Campus Catering GmbH, the BVN Group covers the Hamburg metropolitan region as well as the regions of Norderstedt, Kiel, Lübeck.

Contact persons
Nico Vitense                            
Managing Partner                        
                

Saskia Puschmann
Investment Manager

Florian Scheck
Senior Investment Associate

Katharina Schüler                        
Investment Associate                     

About AURELIUS

AURELIUS is a pan-European alternative investment firm. Deep operational expertise and experience enable AURELIUS to accelerate value creation within its portfolio companies. The Group has offices in London, Luxembourg, Munich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Milan and Dusseldorf.

Our key investment platforms are AURELIUS European Opportunities IV fund and listed AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8, Ticker Symbol: AR4), which specialise in corporate carve-out transactions and acquiring companies with development potential in the mid-market. The investment strategy’s core element is growth of its portfolio companies, supported by a team of almost 100 operating taskforce experts.

AURELIUS Group additionally operates in the areas of growth capital, real estate and alternative lending solutions. AURELIUS Growth Investments is focused on transactions involving buy-and-builds, buyouts and succession solutions across the small cap sector. AURELIUS Real Estate Opportunities focuses on real estate investments, the value of which can be increased in the long-term by means of active management. AURELIUS Finance Company provides flexible lending solutions to firms across Europe.

AURELIUS Growth Investments is a member of AURELIUS Group. Its portfolio comprises eleven companies. In addition to capital for investments and growth, AURELIUS Growth Investments supports the management of its portfolio companies through its extensive entrepreneurial experience and helps with realizing operational potential and the implementation of growth initiatives.