One of Europe’s largest olive oil producers, Innoliva, has been acquired by Fiera Comox, a Canadian private-equity firm, from Cibus Capital, a London-based company specializing in the food and beverage industry. The details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Innoliva, headquartered in Seville, Spain, was founded in 2006 and has become a prominent producer of traditional and extra virgin olive oil. With 8,000 hectares of olive groves spanning across Spain and Portugal, the company has introduced innovative “super high-density planting techniques” that have propelled its success in the market.
Previously owned by Cibus Capital, Innoliva experienced significant growth under their management. The company’s area footprint doubled from 4,000 hectares to 8,000 hectares, and the product offering expanded to include table olives and almonds.
Expressing confidence in the new owners, Rob Appleby, founder and CIO of Cibus, stated, “We are grateful to our stakeholders for their ongoing commitment to our strategy and to the new owners.” He further added, “We believe that Fiera Comox, with their expert agriculture investment team, will continue to drive Innoliva forward as a top-class olive oil producer.”
When asked for response, Innoliva’s CEO Jorge Pena acknowledged the instrumental role played by Cibus in growing the company and transforming it into a leading extra-virgin olive oil producer in Iberia and a major player in organic olive oil worldwide. Pena stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Fiera Comox as our partner to continue with our growth strategy in the region.”
