Ferrere counsels on acquisition of 80% of Villa Oliva Rice

Ferrere, through its team in Paraguay, has advised Luciano Maggi Quartiero, CEO and majority shareholder of Camil Alimentos, a leading multinational rice and food producer in the region based in Brazil, on the indirect purchase of 80% of the Paraguayan rice company Villa Oliva Rice, with an industrial plant and 18,000 hectares of cultivated fields.

The transaction was carried out with a view to a future reorganisation, through the direct acquisition of Villa Oliva’s shares by its local subsidiary Camillatam.

The advice involved an in-depth legal analysis of the situation of the acquired companies, the design and corporate and tax structuring of the transaction, regulatory analysis, debt restructuring of the targets, negotiation and drafting of transactional agreements for the purchase and sale, and the planning of a subsequent corporate restructuring. The firm was also in charge of the merger and acquisition control process.

With more than 60 years of experience, Camil produces and processes grains, sugars, canned fish, pasta and coffee, and then markets them through highly recognised regional brands. Over the past 20 years, Camil has successfully expanded through strategic acquisitions in the region to broaden its portfolio of brands, product categories and geographic areas. In the international market, starting in 2007, Camil expanded its rice operations to Uruguay, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. With this acquisition, Camil also becomes a strategic player in Paraguay.

Ferrere’s team was led by partner Verónica Franco (pictured), together with a large team of professionals including counsel Guillermo Jover, and associates Raúl Pereira, Belén Ayala, Fernanda Benítez, Estefanía Baranski, Sofía Rattazzi, Mario Morales, among many others. Partner Erika Bañuelos and associate Tanya Moreno were in charge of tax matters.