KKA acquires majority in GeHo Group
Straelen, Germany, 17.03.2025. GeHo Group, a leading German distributor of confectionaries, snacks, beverages and other supplementary products has achieved a new milestone in partnering with KKA in to accelerate further growth. This strategic step follows a record financial performance in 2024 and sets the basis for the next growth phase and further expansion of the company. The Holthuijsen family, as sellers and core of the management team, will stay on board both as significant minority shareholders and in their management roles going forward.
Partnership with KKA to foster the strategic vision
The cooperation with KKA represents the common vision to make beverages and snacks available to people on the go, further expand the own brand assortment of affordable snack alternatives and promote healthier snack alternatives with new product promotions. GeHo will use KKA’s expertise in technologization and digitization to drive growth from AI-based assortment composition and efficiency from tech-enabled processes.
“We are very much looking forward to the partnership with KKA, whose experience, network, and technologization potential will put us in a good position to further drive sustainable growth and expand our product portfolio”, said Willi Holthuijsen, CEO of GeHo Group.
Strong basis for the future
Together with KKA, GeHo Group will aim at the following targets:
Further digitalize the warehouse and distribution process and so free up resources to further accelerate growth
Further strengthen its leading position in NRW and strategically build out its presence in other markets where the success in NRW can be replicated, both organically and with M&A
Continue the innovation with own brands and potentially move into new categories suitable for vending operations
Picture: Geho
A big thank you to our advisors!
During the transaction process, KKA had the pleasure to work with Maconda (CDD), RSM Ebner & Stolz (FDD & TDD), Lupp & Partners (LDD & Legal), Pava (Financing), Herbert Smith Freehills (Financing Legal), Howden M&A (W&I), and last but definitely not least, sellside M&A advisor IOM Advisory.
About GeHo Group
Founded in 1989 by Hubert, Hendrik and Willi Holthuijsen, GeHo is a specialized distributor of confectionaries, baked goods, and beverages focused on the growing vending industry, located in Straelen, Germany. With third-party brands and own brand products GeHo provides snacks and beverages on the go to people across DACH via universities, schools, corporates, public institutions, and, in particular, vending operators. Thanks to its lean setup, sophisticated logistics processes and high customer density, GeHo manages to provide “just in time” delivery of small batches to the point-of-sale at a competitive price.
About KKA
KKA Partners was founded in 2018 and is a Berlin-based private equity firm investing in leading medium-sized companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The founding partners have a deep-rooted family and professional connection to the medium-sized business sector, which they have developed over 20 years of close cooperation with medium-sized companies.
KKA helps growth-oriented companies realize their full potential by combining operational excellence and proprietary, technology-driven value driver strategies. Leading investors worldwide, including the European Investment Fund (“EIF”), entrust the KKA team with their capital. This transaction also receives support from the European Union under the InvestEU Fund
More information under: www.kkapartners.com