Stirling Square Capital Partners announced its portfolio company Sustainable Agro Solutions has acquired Ceres Biotics, expanding SAS Group’s product portfolio and R&D capabilities in microorganisms as it pushes to build a global agricultural biosolutions leader. Financial terms were not disclosed.
SAS Group develops and produces biostimulants, soil conditioners, defence activators, and other specialty plant nutrition products for the agricultural sector. Ceres Biotics, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Spain, specializes in biosolutions based on microorganisms and brings more than 550 proprietary strains, R&D focused on developing highly efficient probiotic strains, and commercial activity across more than 20 countries in Europe and beyond. Stirling Square acquired a majority stake in SAS in July 2021 and has supported growth through investments in R&D and product development, development of a new production plant, market expansion, and targeted acquisitions.
SAS Group CEO Eduard Vallverdú said the acquisition represents the company’s expansion into microbial biosolutions and described Ceres Biotics’ product portfolio and R&D capabilities as highly complementary. He said the combined group will offer a broader portfolio, scale production, and broaden customer reach in Europe and internationally.
Ceres Biotics co-founders Emilio Marín and Mónica Perdices said joining SAS Group enables the company to pursue its next phase of growth while continuing its R&D and innovation focus. Stirling Square partner Enrico Biale said the deal strengthens SAS’s position through added expertise in microorganisms, a European presence, and customer relationships, calling it another step toward building a global biosolutions player.
Support: Deloitte and Cuatrecasas advised SAS and Stirling Square, while KPMG advised Ceres Biotics.
KEY QUOTES
“This is an incredibly exciting moment for SAS Group as we undertake an acquisition that marks our expansion into the large and growing field of microbial biosolutions. The talented Ceres Biotics team possesses deep expertise in the microorganisms space and has built an impressive business with significant growth potential. With a high-quality and complementary product portfolio, and its best-in-class R&D capabilities, Ceres Biotics is uniquely positioned for future success. Ceres Biotics’ pioneering work and impressive R&D capabilities in the microorganisms field are highly complementary to our strategy. Together, we will offer a broader, more innovative portfolio to our customers, supporting the transition to more sustainable and productive agriculture. By combining our joint capabilities, we will unlock significant opportunities to reinforce our value proposition, scale production, and broaden customer reach, both in Europe and abroad. We welcome the Ceres Biotics team to SAS Group and look forward to driving continued expansion and long-term value creation together.”
Eduard Vallverdú, Chief Executive Officer, SAS Group
“We are proud of how far Ceres Biotics has come and grateful to our team and partners who have supported us throughout the last 15 years. As part of this next chapter at the heart of SAS Group, we believe Ceres Biotics is uniquely positioned to reach new heights, enhance value for our customers, and offer new opportunities to our employees. This is a crucial step in our journey, and we are delighted that Ceres Biotics is joining SAS Group, which shares our heritage and vision, both underpinned by a strong commitment to R&D and innovation. We see this partnership as a recognition of the quality and dedication of the Ceres Biotics team, and we are excited to see the company continue its growth as part of SAS Group.”
Emilio Marín and Mónica Perdices, Co-Founders, Ceres Biotics
“We are thrilled to announce the combination of SAS and Ceres Biotics, which further demonstrates our commitment to supporting SAS Group’s growth, both organically and inorganically. Ceres Biotics brings deep expertise in the microorganisms space, a robust presence in Europe, and strong customer relationships. The highly complementary nature of Ceres Biotics’ business – geographically, from a product perspective, and technologically – makes this a highly strategic acquisition for SAS. This is another significant step forward in our ambition to create one of the global leading players in the biosolutions sector.”
Enrico Biale, Partner, Stirling Square Capital Partners
