AB Akola Group invests in a promising Lithuanian beverage startup
March 15 2024 - 2:30AM
UK Regulatory
AB Akola Group invests in a promising Lithuanian beverage startup
On 14 March, AB Akola Group signed an agreement with OMG
Bubble Tea, UAB, a fast-growing popular beverage startup, for an
investment of EUR 1.9 million. AB Akola Group will acquire a
minority stake in the startup and a seat on its
board.
Founded in 2022, OMG Bubble Tea, UAB is a fast-growing producer
of natural bubble tea, exporting around 95% of its production to
France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, and other countries. The
company has 143 employees and a production unit in Panevėžys.
"OMG Bubble Tea is a growing startup that has increased
production and revenue several times over the year. The management
and the team are energetic, the production processes are being
fine-tuned, and the sales progress has been made for further
successful expansion. In 2024 and 2025, exponential growth is
foreseen for the startup – measuring in times, not in percentage.
The global bubble tea market size was valued at 3 billion US
dollars in 2022 and is projected by experts to grow by 6.3%
annually until 2032, while the European market will grow by 8%
annually. Therefore, the startup's outlook is promising," says
Mažvydas Šileika, Chief Financial Officer of AB Akola Group.
He said the investment will allow the startup to expand at an
even faster pace, while the AB Akola Group's seat on the company's
board will strengthen its governance.
"I plan to sit on the company's board, so we will spot
first-hand how ambitious plans are being implemented. We believe
this is a worthwhile investment for us, as the consumption of
beverages is growing globally, especially among young people, and
the prospects in this area are great. Our business strategy is to
increase the weight of food products in the group's overall
business, thereby increasing the group's overall profitability and
value. We are not only investing in increasing production capacity
but also looking for small, growing producers. This is by no means
our last investment in beverage startups," says Šileika.
According to Jonas Karosas, Director of OMG Bubble Tea, UAB, the
company built a solid team, secured the supply of raw materials and
good position in certain retail chains abroad.
"Our product is aimed at children and young people, and it
evokes good emotions. Global trends show increased demand, and we
want to take advantage of this and expand our volumes. The
kick-off, as in any production, was not easy, but we have still
grown at a very fast pace since we started the company. The Akola
Group’s investment will allow us to increase this pace even
further," says J. Karosas.
This is the second investment in startups by AB Akola Group. A
few years ago, the group invested in Geoface, a startup that
developed a smart farming app, and later acquired a full stake in
it.
About AB Akola Group
AB Akola Group owns the largest agricultural and food production
group in the Baltics, employing 4.9 thousand people. The group
operates along the entire food production chain from farm to fork,
producing, preparing and marketing agricultural and food products,
and supplying goods and services to farmers. The group's financial
year starts in July and its revenue for the last financial year was
almost 2 billion euro. The group is currently building an instant
food plant in Alytus, a breadcrumb factory in Kėdainiai, a biogas
plant in Šakiai district in Lithuania, and a certified seed factory
in Latvia.
More information:
Mažvydas Šileika, Chief Financial Officer, AB Akola Group
Mob. +370 619 19 403
E-mail m.sileika@akolagroup.lt
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