Consumer
RRJ to invest $250m in Shanghai Bright Dairy JV
RRJ Capital plans to invest RMB1.5 billion ($250 million) for a 45% stake a dairy farming joint venture with Shanghai-listed Bright Dairy & Food, a subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate Bright Food Group.
Tiantu Capital commits $8m to Qinghai dairy firm
China’s Tiantu Capital has committed RMB50 million ($8 million) to Qinghai Xiaoxiniu Biological Dairy Industry, a dairy products manufacturer, for an undisclosed stake.
Premji tries Myntra on for size
The growth of Indian e-commerce is well documented and recent estimates by online marketplace and industry poster child Flipkart illustrate just how much farther it has to go. According to Sachin Bansal, Flipkart’s co-founder and CEO, e-commerce grew...
Temasek, Ceyuan, IDG, SAIF invest $100m in China’s Vancl
Vancl, China’s largest online clothing retailer, has raised more than $100 million in funding from existing investors Temasek Holdings, IDG Capital Partners, Ceyuan Ventures and SAIF Partners.
Sunsuper acquires remaining holiday parks stake, PE exits
Sunsuper, the Australian superannuation fund, has acquired control of Discovery Holiday Parks, paving an exit for Next Capital, Allegro Funds and Macquarie Funds. The deal, which values the asset at A$240 million ($215 million), will see Sunsuper raise...
CDH Ventures invests in online travel site Lailaihui
CDH Venture has led a new funding round for Lailaihui, a Chinese backpacker travel service start-up, alongside existing investor Unity Ventures. Transaction details were not disclosed but the investment was said to be about $1 million.
PE-backed Thomas Cook India, Sterling Holiday to merge
Thomas Cook India, which was bought by Fairbridge Capital in 2012, has agreed to merge with Sterling Holding Resorts India, another private equity-backed enterprise, in a part-equity, part-cash deal worth INR8.7 billion ($140 million).
PE-backed Luye, Rundong target HK IPOs – report
Two private equity-backed Chinese companies – Rundong Automobile Group and Luye Pharma Group – are reportedly planning to raise a total of $1.5 billion through Hong Kong listings.
Rocket Internet’s Foodpanda secures $20m in funding
Foodpanda, an online meal delivery marketplace incubated by Rocket Internet, has received $20 million in funding from several venture capital firms, including existing investor Phenomen Ventures.
WestBridge takes minority stake in Indian snack foods producer
WestBridge Capital Partners has acquired 24.9% of DFM Foods, a leading Indian snack foods manufacturer best known for Crax Corn Rings.
VC-backed JD.com targets $1.5b US IPO
Chinese online retailer JD.com, which has received $1.7 billion in venture capital and private equity funding in the last two years, is seeking to raise up to $1.5 billion through a US IPO.
CVC hires Asia consumer sector specialist as advisor
CVC Capital Partners has appointed consumer sector veteran Jeremy Hobbins as a senior advisor to the pan Asia team.
RedMart fills Singapore’s e-groceries void
When entrepreneur Steve Melhuish moved to Asia from the UK his wife was a prodigious online shopper, having grown accustomed to ordering her groceries from Ocado or Waitrose. While he made headway in Singapore’s internet space, launching realty portal...
Vertex backs FirstCry’s O2O e-commerce push
Indian baby and kids-focused e-commerce site FirstCry.com was not the first mover in its segment when it launched in 2010. Kalaari Capital-backed HushBabies and Babyoye, an Accel Partners and Tiger Global portfolio company, were among those already operating...
TAL Education invests $25m in VC-backed Babytree
TAL Education, a China-based after-school tutoring services provider, has acquired a minority stake in childcare website Babytree for RMB150 million ($25 million). The online baby nursing information provider secured previous investments from Matrix Partners,...
PricePanda gets $3m from Tengelmann for SE Asia expansion
Rocket Internet’s price comparison platform, PricePanda, has raised $3 million from German retailer Tengelmann Group to expand its Southeast Asia footprint. It currently operates in Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.
ASA calls for Billabong delay over Oaktree, Centerbridge deal
The Australian Shareholders Association (ASA) has called on Australian surf wear company Billabong International to delay a shareholder vote on a decision that could give PE creditors Oaktree Capital Management and Centerbridge Partners as much as 40.8%...
China’s Alibaba Group makes $15 million investment in 1stdibs
Alibaba Group has backed New York-based luxury e-commerce site 1stdibs with a $15 million Series C investment.
Vertex, IDG, SAIF invest $15m in India’s FirstCry
Temasek Holdings subsidiary Vertex Venture Management has led a $15 million Series C round of funding in Brainbees Solutions, which runs Indian baby and kids focused e-commerce site FirstCry.com. Existing investors IDG Ventures India and SAIF Partners...
Singapore online grocer RedMart raises $5.4m funding round
RedMart, an online grocery service based in Singapore, has raised a $5.4 million round of funding led by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Other investors in the bridge round included JFDI.Asia co-founder Meng Weng Wong, The Lo & Behold Group founder...
KKR, Affinity in Asia's largest-ever trade sale
Anheuser-Busch InBev's $5.8 billion buyback of South Korea's Oriental Brewery from KKR and Affinity Equity Partners is best viewed in the context of extenuating circumstances in which the original investment was made in July 2009.
Tokio Marine invests $9.5m in furniture maker Asplund
Tokio Marine Capital has acquired a majority stake in Japanese furniture maker Asplund for around JPY1 billion ($9.5 million).
Carlyle completes partial exit from HK-listed Haier Electronics
The Carlyle Group has raised around $285 million after selling part of its stake in Hong Kong-listed appliance maker Haier Electronics Group.
Nalanda ups stake in Lovable Lingerie
Singapore-based Nalanda Capital has bought a further 3.73% stake in listed Indian undergarment maker Lovable Lingerie, taking its total holding to 8.79%.