Verlinvest

Really proud of this Q&A with our CEO, Roberto Italia, in Bloomberg, covering how Verlinvest is approaching consumer investing in today’s market. Worth a read for anyone watching the space. 👇

“We’ll have to be well prepared to live with such volatility — and endure its consequences in the financial as well as real markets for the months and years to come. In parallel, consumers have become selective and keen to experiment, and that’s affecting brand power in meaningful ways. We’ve seen some private equity firms begin to step back from the consumer space, but with our evergreen model and sector expertise, we tend to emerge as different relative to other mainstream players.” — Roberto Italia, CEO of Verlinvest In a recent interview with Swetha Gopinath for Bloomberg, Roberto shared how Verlinvest is navigating today’s uncertainty. As macro pressures intensify and investor sentiment becomes more cautious, questions are resurfacing about the role of consumers in private markets. With our evergreen capital model, global portfolio, and operational mindset, we remain focused on supporting businesses that are built to endure. The discussion covers: 🟣Why volatility doesn’t mean stepping back but requires a different approach 🟣The rise of consumer healthcare and experience-led services 🟣How global consumer demand is evolving and where it’s headed next Read the full Bloomberg conversation with Roberto Italia here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ekWG9qfZ #Verlinvest #RobertoItalia #SwethaGopinath #ConsumerBrands #PrivateEquity #LongTermInvesting #EvergreenCapital #ConsumerHealthcare #ExperienceEconomy #Bloomberg

Huge congratulations to the entire Tony's Chocolonely team on this well-deserved recognition! 👏🍫 Leading the Chocolate Scorecard 6 years in a row is a testament to your unwavering commitment to ethical sourcing, supply chain transparency, and real impact for cocoa-growing communities. Here's to a better chocolate future for all. 🌍💜

As India’s coffee culture evolves, we saw an opportunity to redefine how flavours are experienced. Our team crafted a flavour guide that speaks to the Indian palate, highlighting the rich, homegrown notes that make our indigenous coffees truly unique.

🎉 Congratulations to Christian Gaiser and the entire Numa team on a standout year! With over 1 million nights served, 100% growth, and strong fundamentals, Numa is proving that tech-led, guest-centric hospitality can scale sustainably across Europe. A clear reflection of the consumer shift we’re proud to back. Here’s to continued momentum in 2025.

👋 Meet Sebastien Katch, Managing Director and Global Lead of Operational Excellence at Verlinvest, in our latest Meet the Operational Excellence Team episode. With over 25 years of experience scaling consumer businesses globally, Seb is key in helping our portfolio companies strengthen their operational foundations for sustainable, long-term growth. In today’s evolving market, founders are looking for more than capital; they’re looking for trusted partners who bring deep category and operator expertise, practical insight, and hands-on support to help them scale. Operational Excellence has become a fundamental element of value creation throughout our portfolio. 📽️ Watch the full episode below to hear how we’re building the operational muscle to support the next generation of consumer brands ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eGa5PJ_Q William De Vliegher Nishad Kenkre #MeetTheTeam #OperationalExcellence #ValueCreation #Consumer #Leadership #Verlinvest

Congratulations to Jayesh Morvadiya and the team at Ferty9 Fertility Center! Welcome to the family! #healthcare #familyplanning #fertility #investing

“Patients are increasingly taking charge of their own care and are also seeking options for preventative care as part of a broader wellness trend.” – Julius Hugelshofer, European healthcare lead at Verlinvest, speaking to Mergermarket this week.   That shift is reshaping the healthcare landscape across Europe. As people take a more proactive role in managing their health, they’re seeking services that are accessible, personalised, and often tech-enabled. From diagnostics to daily health tracking, the tools are there, and so is the willingness to use them.   This changing patient behaviour is creating new momentum in areas where clinical outcomes meet consumer expectations. Categories like ophthalmology and orthopaedics are gaining relevance, especially where out-of-pocket models allow for more direct engagement and fewer regulatory barriers.   At Verlinvest, we’re actively exploring new investment opportunities in these and adjacent sectors. We invest from €50m upwards to about €200m in healthcare platform businesses with €50m to €80m in revenue, supporting teams with the ambition and vision to scale across Europe.   Many of the businesses we partner with are pursuing buy and build strategies. In these cases, we often take a majority stake to support expansion. But we’re also open to minority positions and to co-investing alongside other private equity partners, depending on the context.   As Julius noted in the article, our model is built on evergreen capital, giving us the ability to be long term in our thinking and opportunistic in our timelines. That flexibility is particularly valuable for founder- and entrepreneur-led businesses looking to grow without the constraints of a fixed investment horizon.   Our healthcare portfolio includes Faceland Clinic (medical aesthetics), BLUDENTAL (oral care), Ferty9 Fertility Center (fertility and family planning), Sinomedica (integrative care), and Nesto (veterinary clinics). These are sectors already shaped by the broader shift toward consumer-centric healthcare. But we believe there is much more ahead.   The next wave of healthcare innovation will come from businesses that combine medical integrity with customer experience, and scale with consistency across markets. We’re watching closely and investing accordingly. ⬇️ Link in the comments for the full Mergermarket article (paywalled). Simone Sallustio Gilles Vanhouwe Stefanos S. Alexis de Villenfagne Vittoria Stefanello

Regulatory hurdles will shape the trajectory of cross-border investments in Europe as private equity investors increasingly focus on risk diversification strategies within the healthcare sector. While these deals hold significant potential, industry experts told PE Hub that they also bring intricate layers of complexity that cannot be overlooked. I spoke with Astorg's Judith Charpentier, Verlinvest's Julius Hugelshofer, Houlihan Lokey's Rainer Hepberger and Goodwin's Graham Defries to unpack these intricacies. Read the full story to find out the challenges such as new regulations coming in Europe, profit-and-loss calculations and antitrust considerations.

Healthcare Business International 2025 in Paris: Insights from the evolving world of consumer healthcare Julius Hugelshofer, Gilles Vanhouwe, Vittoria Stefanello and Stefanos S. were on the ground in Paris, bringing back fresh insights from across the ecosystem where we’re already active or exploring, including aesthetics, weight-loss, veterinary care and refractive ophthalmology. 📉 M&A remains subdued Transaction activity in Healthcare Services is still muted compared to the 2021 to 2022 highs. While dry powder remains abundant ($1.4 trillion), a larger backlog of unrealised private equity exits ($4 trillion) is holding back activity. Investors are watching for positive exits to rebuild confidence. 📈 Quality still drives value Despite lower volumes, higher-quality assets continue to transact at strong multiples. Margins have remained resilient, even during high inflation, while lower-quality players have seen compressed valuations. 📊 Middle market activity is picking up Large-cap deals and IPOs are still limited, but the mid-market is showing renewed momentum, supported by growing availability of private credit at competitive terms. 🏛 Family offices are stepping in There is a clear uptick in direct investment activity from family offices, often competing with traditional private equity across attractive healthcare verticals. 🦷 Dental care is gaining traction Preventative dentistry is increasingly recognised as part of overall health. With stronger tech adoption, including 3D scanners and AI, and a growing focus on education, demand is rising even as workforce gaps persist. 💉 The aesthetics market continues to grow Consumer interest is increasing, stigma is decreasing, and innovation is expanding treatment options. Clinics are improving access, and patients are willing to pay for quality care. Regulation may accelerate consolidation. ⚖️ GLP-1 and weight-loss services are gaining traction Strong investor interest is driven by unmet demand and pressure on national healthcare systems. Future models must balance regulatory clarity with public-private collaboration to scale access. 🐾 Veterinary growth has normalised Like-for-like growth has slowed from COVID highs, with some US volume decline. Still, fundamentals remain strong. Operators expect demand to stabilise, supported by tech adoption and continued consolidation. 🤖 AI is making its mark across the patient journey From diagnosis to post-care, AI is increasingly embedded in healthcare services. There is clear potential to improve personalisation, efficiency and outcomes across the continuum of care. We are actively seeking opportunities in this space, building on our experience in medical aesthetics, dental, pet care and family planning. We’re looking to partner with ambitious founders and operators driving the consumerisation of healthcare forward. Where do you see the greatest opportunity ahead? Comment below ⬇️