Fondo Italiano Agri & Food: first closing finalized
A partnership between institutions and the industry to sustain agri-food,
a strategic supply chain for Italy
First closing at 130 million euros with Cornerstone Investors
B.F. S.p.A. and CDP Equity
Milan, 5 December 2022 – Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR concluded the first successful closing of Fondo Italiano Agri & Food – FIAF, the sector fund devoted to sustaining agri-food, a strategic supply chain for Italy.
The Fund reached 130 million euros thanks to the support of Cornerstone Investors B.F. S.p.A. and CDP Equity (CPDE), along with other leading Italian institutional investors. The target is 300 million euros.
FIAF’s investment strategy is based on clear needs for innovation, internationalization, and consolidation of the agri-food sector, which is the leading industry in Italy for added value and a global symbol of Italian excellence. The Fund is led by Senior Partners Pier Felice Murtas and Marco Pellegrino.
The agri-food sector is currently central for the pursuit of Mission 2 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan concerning “Green revolution and ecological transition”, which allocates around 3 billion to agri-food supply chain, for Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to Climate Change. In fact, the supply chain generates a turnover of more than 500 million euros on an annual basis and provides employment for nearly 3.6 million people. In recent years, the agri-food sector has confirmed its strategic importance within the national economy and has a growing turnover despite the difficulties of the pandemic. The sector still has untapped potential in terms of further national development and export growth by representing one of the most relevant Made in Italy supply chain.
CPDE’s commitment in FIAF Fund is based on the national development strategy for agri-food sector, in line with the guidelines of the CDP Group’s Strategic Plan 2022-2024.
From an ESG perspective, FIAF qualifies as a financial product that promotes environmental and social characteristics under Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 and aims to contribute to the modernization of agri-food sector through the adoption of 4.0 technologies aimed at reducing costs and environmental impact with a focus on sustainable growth processes.
Fondo Italiano Agri & Food – FIAF is among the 7 new funds, including direct funds and funds of funds, part of the 2022-2025 Industrial Plan of Fondo Italiano d’Investimento. The Plan envisages investments on a number of priority sectors such as Supply chain and excellences of Made in Italy, Lifescience & HealthCare, Industrial Tech & Products, IT/Digital as well as Agri & Food.
Davide Bertone, CEO of Fondo Italiano d’Investimento says: “The launch of FIAF is part of the priorities identified in the recently presented Fondo Italiano’s Industrial Plan to 2025 which aims to increase to 4 billion euros the capital dedicated to growth projects of Italian companies. Fondo Italiano d’Investimento intends to act as a catalyst for a wide ecosystem of capital to support SMEs on sectors, supply chains and issues of strategic relevance, among which agri-food has a primary position”.
Pier Felice Murtas, Senior Partner of FIAF Fund adds: “Fondo Italiano Agri & Food was created to accompany small and medium-sized Italian enterprises in the agri-food sector in growth projects, to promote their innovation, internationalization, and build-up processes. We believe that the sector presents, in its various segments, a great potential deserving to be enhanced”.
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Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR
Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR was created in 2010 on the initiative of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and its shareholders include CDP Equity, Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, Fondazione ENPAM, Fondazione ENPAIA, ABI, Banco BPM and BPER Banca. The main goal of Fondo Italiano is to favor the growth of the Italian economy by managing closed-ended funds. The funds managed by FII SGR are aimed at conveying patient capital to Italian companies of excellence with a return on investment in line with international benchmarks. To date, FII SGR manages a total of 12 closed-ended alternative investment funds reserved to qualified investors, for about 2.8 billion euros and operates through direct and indirect investments (funds of funds). FII SGR acts as a responsible investor and has sustainability as a core value; is thus committed to integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into its investment criteria, processes, and activities.
For further information:
Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR
Roberto Travaglino
Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR
+39 02 63532 208
roberto.travaglino@fondoitaliano.it
Thanai Bernardini
External press office
+39 335 7245418
Alessandro Bozzi Valenti
External press office
+39 348 0090866