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Stonepeak Buys Co-Control Stake in Germany's IFCO - InforCapital

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AM
Alvaro de la Maza

Partner at Aninver

Key Takeaways

  • Stonepeak acquired Abu Dhabi Investment Authority – ADIA.
  • Sector: Environmental Infrastructure & Services, Industrials.
  • Geography: Germany.

Analysis

Stonepeak, a leading global infrastructure and real assets investor headquartered in New York City, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire an approximately 50% co-controlling stake in IFCO Group, a top provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods, from a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates. The acquisition will position Stonepeak alongside existing investor Triton, a European private equity firm based in Frankfurt, Germany, which will remain a committed partner to the business.

Following the close, Stonepeak and Triton will jointly and equally own and govern IFCO, leveraging their complementary capabilities to scale the company’s global operations.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Pullach, near Munich, Germany, IFCO manages a global logistics platform centered on over 400 million reusable packaging containers (RPCs), enabling more than 2.5 billion shipments annually of perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, seafood, and eggs. IFCO operates in over 50 countries, supported by a network of 140 service centers, and partners with 300+ retailers and 18,000 growers across Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.

“We welcome Stonepeak as a new partner. Their infrastructure expertise, paired with Triton’s sector knowledge and digitalisation strategy, will strengthen IFCO’s global market leadership,” said Michael Pooley, CEO of IFCO.

Nikolaus Woloszczuk, Senior Managing Director at Stonepeak, said:
“IFCO is a vital component of the global fresh food logistics chain. Its closed-loop model delivers cost and sustainability advantages. We're excited to accelerate its growth alongside Triton.”

Stephan Förschle, Partner at Triton, added:
“Our continued investment reflects confidence in IFCO’s platform and future. With Stonepeak, we share the ambition to deliver value through innovation and operational excellence.”

ADIA, based in Abu Dhabi and one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, co-invested with Triton in IFCO’s 2019 carve-out from Brambles. After six years of partnership, ADIA exits having supported the company’s digital transformation and operational improvements. Hamad Shahwan Aldhaheri, Executive Director at ADIA, noted IFCO is now “well positioned for future success.”

The transaction, subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.