IMAP advised the shareholders of Kathi Rainer Thiele GmbH (KATHI), a manufacturer of baking mixes and cake specialties, on the sale to Dr August Oetker KG. The Oetker Group will take over both the production facility in Halle and KATHI's employees. KATHI will continue to be managed operationally as an independent company by the previous management under the leadership of Marco Thiele.

Founded in 1951, KATHI is a family-run company with extensive expertise in baking mixes and flours. Its products are firmly established among consumers in eastern Germany. It is one of the leading brand suppliers in the food retail sector.

"Against the backdrop of ongoing difficult economic conditions and a challenging market environment, we are delighted to have found a strong partner with whom we can secure the future of our family business and maintain its innovative strength. We look forward to working together under the umbrella of the Oetker Group. Special thanks go to the team of IMAP who supported us in our search for a suitable partner. Their deep understanding of the market, coupled with a strong M&A expertise, contributed greatly to the success of the negotiations," said Marco Thiele, managing shareholder of KATHI.

With over 29,000 employees and annual sales of nearly €7 billion, the Oetker Group is one of Europe's largest family-owned companies. The management holding company of the Oetker Group, consisting of 350 companies, is Dr. August Oetker KG in Bielefeld. It was there that pharmacist Dr August Oetker laid the foundation for his company in 1891. Dr Oetker's food division operates through numerous production and distribution companies in more than 40 countries.

"As a family-run company, KATHI is an excellent fit for the values, goals and strategy of the Oetker family business," said managing partner Carl Oetker.

The IMAP team, consisting of Dr. Carsten Lehmann and Alessandro Cornelli, advised the shareholders of KATHI exclusively throughout all phases of a structured M&A process until its successful closing.