Consumer
China retail: Engagement factors
Hillhouse Capital's efforts in using technology to support Kidswant may offer pointers regarding its plans for buyout target Belle International. But is it enough to turnaround the fortunes of one of China's largest retailers?
KKR completes exit from China's Rundong Auto with $51m sale
KKR has fully exited its remaining 11.8% stake in car dealership China Rundong Auto Group for HK$395 million ($50.7 million), ending a seven-year association that included an IPO in Hong Kong in 2014.
Maison leads round for Sino-Indonesia e-commerce site
China-focused GP Maison Capital has led a RMB150 million ($22 million) Series B round of funding for Wook, a cross-border B2B e-commerce platform that focuses on China and Indonesia markets.
Deal focus: Proterra milks India’s dairy industry
Proterra Investment Partners has more than doubled its money on Dodla Dairy following a four-year holding period in which the company boosted production of quality milk to meet growing demand from Indian consumers
Endeavour United to buy Pizza Hut Japan
Endeavour United, a GP established by the team behind turnaround investor Phoenix Capital, has agreed to buy Pizza Hut Japan and Phoenix Foods from Mitsubishi Corporation-controlled KFC Holdings Japan.
SoftBank marks down India's Ola, Snapdeal by $1.4b
SoftBank has marked down the value of part of its investment portfolio, including holdings in India-based online marketplace Snapdeal and ride-hailing app Ola, bringing its total losses in the companies so far to JPY160 billion ($1.4 billion).
CMB PE unit leads round for Shanghai pop group developer
Shanghai Star48 Culture & Media, a media agency that developed Chinese female pop group SNH48, has raised a Series C round of funding led by CMB International Capital, a private equity unit of China Merchants Bank.
CDIB Capital backs World Gym Taiwan
CDIB Capital, the PE arm of Taiwan's China Development Financial, has acquired a minority stake in World Gym Taiwan, the largest fitness center chain in Taiwan, alongside several co-investors. Financial terms were not disclosed.
India's VC-backed Matrimony files for IPO
Indian online matchmaking services provider Matrimony.com has filed for an IPO that will provide exits for VC investors Mayfield India and Bessemer Venture Partners.
Sequoia, Banyan lead $51m round for China’s Xiaodian
Sequoia Capital China and Banyan Capital have led a RMB350 million ($51 million) Series B round of funding for Xiaodian, a Beijing-based power bank rental company.
Singapore’s Garena rebrands as Sea, raises $550 million
Singapore-headquartered mobile internet and gaming platform Garena has rebranded as Sea and raised $550 million from a group of investors including existing backer Global Digital Prima (GDP) Venture of Indonesia.
India's Quikr acquires VC-backed Zimmber
Indian classifieds site Quikr has acquired Zimmber, a provider of household services backed by several VC investors.
India's Ola raises $104m
Indian ride-hailing operator Ola has raised INR6.7 billion ($104 million) from Falcon Edge Capital and RNT Capital Advisors, a VC fund backed by Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of the company that controls Tata Group.
TPG to invest $50m in India's Dodla Dairy, Proterra to exit
TPG Capital’s growth investment arm has agreed to pay $50 million for a significant minority stake in Indian dairy firm Dodla Dairy. AVCJ understands the deal will provide a full exit for Proterra Investment Partners.
Southeast Asia VC: Common tastes
Venture capital investors increasingly view Southeast Asia as a single market as start-ups focus their attentions on a handful of large cities whose young populations have similar consumption habits
NetEase raises $23m for pig farm business
China local services platform Meituan-Dianping and Sinovation Ventures have jointly led a RMB160 million ($23m) Series A round for Weiyang, a pig farm business unit owned by Chinese internet firm NetEase.
Deal focus: Navis secures its golden egg
Navis Capital Partners has acquired Mainland Poultry with a view to meeting the New Zealand's egg producers domestic capital investment needs and taking its technology into other parts of Asia
Advantage closes fifth Japan fund at $535m
Advantage Partners has reached a final close on its fifth Japan-focused mid-market buyout fund at the hard cap of JPY60 billion ($535 million).
Hillhouse, CDH propose $6.8b take-private of Belle International
CDH Investments has teamed up with Hillhouse Capital on a proposed HK$53.1 billion ($6.8 billion) privatization of Belle International, a Chinese shoe retailer that it first backed in 2005 and took public two years later.
NSSK acquires Japanese publishing group
Japanese private equity firm NSSK has acquired Bunkasha Publishing, a domestic media group focused on manga comics in both print and digital formats.
VCs target Southeast Asia's urban consumers - AVCJ Forum
Indonesia is sitting at the heart of an increasingly homogeneous Southeast Asia market in which start-ups can execute cross-border strategies by leveraging similar consumer habits across major cities.
Excelsior buys Office Depot Korea business
Hong Kong-based private equity firm Excelsior Capital has bought the South Korea business of business products supplier Office Depot.
CDIB invests in South Korean skincare company
CDIB Capital, the private equity arm of Taiwan’s China Development Financial, has invested an undisclosed sum in L&P Cosmetic, a skincare company based in South Korea.
Fund focus: ClearVue brings consumer clarity
Having raised $362 million for its second fund, and diversifying its LP base in the process, Chinese GP ClearVue Partners has proved there is appetite for consumer sector specialists that have the right skill sets