Consumer
China's Luckin Coffee reveals $310m in fabricated sales
Luckin Coffee, a PE-backed Chinese coffee shop chain that went public in the US last year, has admitted that RMB2.2 billion ($310 million) worth of sales booked in 2019 were fabricated.
L Catterton backs Japan cosmetics brand Etvos
Consumer-focused private equity firm L Catterton Asia has confirmed a significant investment of undisclosed size in Japanese cosmetics brand Etvos.
Ocean Link seeks $7b privatization of China's 58.com
Ocean Link, a Chinese private equity firm that targets travel, tourism and related consumer subsectors, has made a take-private offer for online classifieds marketplace 58.com that values the business at approximately $7 billion.
Openspace co-leads $17m round for Indonesia's TaniHub
TaniHub, an online marketplace for farm products in Indonesia, has raised more than $17 million in a funding round led by Openspace Ventures and Intudo Ventures.
Hillhouse leads $1b round for China’s Yuanfudao
Chinese online education start-up Yuanfudao has seen its valuation soar to $7.8 billion on closing a $1 billion funding round led by Hillhouse Capital.
Integral buys Japanese contact lens maker
Integral Corporation has acquired T-Garden, a Japanese company that makes cosmetic contact lenses, for an undisclosed sum.
Fund focus: 8F reels in $358m
Singapore's 8F Asset Management is taking sector specialization to a new level with a $358 million fund that focuses exclusively on salmon aquaculture projects
Alternative protein player Nature's Fynd gets $80m Series B
Nature’s Fynd, a US-based developer of edible proteins from non-animal and non-plant sources that is seen as having considerable application potential in Asia, has raised $80 million in Series B funding.
AVCJ Awards 2019: Operational Value Add: EuroKids International
Gaja Capital put its India buyout philosophy to the test with EuroKids International in 2013. Operational improvements – and a lucrative exit – have vindicated the approach
Chinese cultural education business secures $21m Series B
Qinhan Hutong, a Chinese education provider that offers an art and culture curriculum, has raised RMB150 million ($21 million) in Series B funding from Mingde Chuancheng, a Shanghai-based education and consulting company.
Australia's PE-owned Tigerlily enters administration
Tigerlily, an Australian swimwear brand acquired by Crescent Capital Partners in 2017, has entered administration following a collapse in sales attributed to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Sequoia invests $171m in Chinese dairy products manufacturer
Sequoia Capital China has invested of RMB1.2 billion ($171 million) in Chinese dairy products manufacturer Junlebao, becoming the largest institutional investor with a 15.26% stake.
Village Roadshow suitors continue work despite coronavirus disruption
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and BGH Capital are continuing their due diligence on Australian cinema and theme park operator Village Roadshow despite the company experiencing difficulties due to coronavirus outbreak.
Korean second-hand goods marketplace gets $44m
Several Korean investors have committed KRW56 billion ($44 million) in funding to Bungaejangter, a local C2C mobile marketplace specializing in second-hand goods.
Deal focus: Spinny aims to be more than a marketplace
Spinny - alongside industry peer Truebil - has taken the used car sales model that works for Carvana in the US and applied it to India. Combining online reach with offline legitimacy is the key
Anchor invests in entertainment unit of Korea's Kakao
Anchor Equity Partners is paying KRW209.8 billion ($163 million) for an approximately 13% stake in the music and entertainment division of Korean internet giant Kakao.
PE targets sensual wellness: Good vibrations
A recent commitment by China’s CDH Investments to Wow Tech underlines how sensual health products such as vibrators are moving from the margins to the mainstream, globally and in Asia
Singapore GP nets $358m for salmon farm fund
Singapore impact investor 8F Asset Management has closed its debut fund at $358 million, beating a target of $300 million. It is dedicated to building a global salmon fishing business.
Korea's Mirae leads $500m round for Impossible Foods
Korea’s Mirae Asset Global Investments has led a $500 million Series F round for Impossible Foods, a US-based food technology supplier pursuing an Asia expansion.
ByteDance invests $26m in Chinese talent manager
Chinese celebrity management agency Mountain Top has closed a RMB180 million ($26 million) Serie B funding round provided by ByteDance Technology, operator of the Toutiao news aggregation and TikTok short video platforms.
Temasek leads extended round for Singapore's ShopBack
ShopBack, a Singapore-based rewards platform that generates sales for online and offline retailers, has completed a $75 million extended round of funding led by Temasek Holdings.
Meituan-Dianping invests $87m in China food supply chain player
Shenzhen-based agricultural products distributor Wangjiahuan has raised RMB600 million ($87 million) in Series B funding led by Meituan-Dianping. Existing backer Hidden Hill Capital - a PE firm established by warehouse operator GLP - also took part.
Coronavirus in Asia: Ongoing analysis
Coronavirus concerns among GPs not solely focused on China vary based on their direct or indirect exposure to China, but gauging private equity responses to the crisis is like chasing a moving target
Coronavirus in China: Back from the brink
China GPs are trying to navigate the coronavirus uncertainty and help portfolio companies pick up the pieces, whether that means cutting costs or realizing new revenue streams
