Juuri Partners exits Kylmästi Paras Oy, a pioneer in temperature-controlled logistics

Collico Oy has acquired the majority of shares in Kylmästi Paras Oy. The combination of the business operations of Collico and Kylmästi Paras creates a significant domestic food and e-commerce logistics service company.

Kylmästi Paras Oy is a national logistics company specializing in cold and frozen logistics, with offices in Vantaa and Lempäälä. Collico Oy has bought the majority of shares in Kylmästi Paras Oy from Juuri Rahasto I Ky. The management of Kylmästi Paras will continue as shareholders in the Collico Group.

Kylmästi Paras has focused on building service concepts based on high quality and technology in food logistics. Kylmästi Paras Oy’s subsidiary Osaamikeskus Core Oy offers driver training services and personnel services for the logistics industry. The group’s turnover is around 25 million euros and it has around 40 employees.

“It was important for us to find the best possible owner for Kylmästi Paras, an owner who is able to fully utilize the development work done in the company in recent years. Collico’s and Kylmästi Paras’s businesses complement each other excellently, and the merger creates significant synergy benefits“, says Juuri Partners partner Tapani Varjas.

“We had a very confidential and constructive cooperation relationship with the management of Kylmästi Paras. The significant market turbulence due to the coronavirus caused headaches for the company in the key HoReCa market, but it forced us to seek even more efficient operations together with our customers and for the benefit of our customers. Kylmästi Paras’s management always had an excellent awareness of the situation, which essentially facilitated decision-making on strategic issues.”

“Juuri’s investment in Kylmästi Paras provided a strong support to become an entrepreneur and start developing the company. This transaction gives an excellent opportunity to continue the entrepreneurial path in the significant food and e-commerce logistics service company created by the combination“, says Jani Närhi, CEO of Kylmästi Paras.

Collico is building a comprehensive food and e-commerce logistics service company, and Kylmästi Paras is a key part of the new entity. Collico’s service offering includes e.g. complete solutions for e-commerce logistics, 3PL contract logistics and food logistics. In addition, the company offers circular economy and last mile services.

“Kylmästi Paras is known for its high quality and sustainable and customer-oriented way of working. Kylmästi Paras’s know-how and customers perfectly complement Collico’s growth strategy. As a result of significant synergies created through the combination of the businesses, the broad customer base and the added value brought by the digital platform, we are able to serve all our customers better and more efficiently“, states Jari Rinnekoski, CEO of Collico.

Additional information:
Tapani Varjas, partner, Juuri Partners, +358 40 555 5758, tapani.varjas@juuripartners.fi
Jani Närhi, CEO, Kylmästi Paras Group Oy, +358 41 546 0088, jani.narhi@kylmastiparas.fi
Jari Rinnekoski, CEO, Collico Oy, +358 40 057 3711, jari.rinnekoski@collico.fi

Juuri Partners Oy The 13-person team of Juuri Partners manages the private equity funds Juuri Rahasto I Ky and Juuri Rahasto II Ky amounting to approximately €200 million, which finance established and profitable small- and medium-sized enterprises in Finland. Juuri Partners offers growth-oriented companies a business financing and development concept that combines active ownership, debt financing and strategic business support. The investor base for the funds comprises both Finnish and international institutional investors.

Kylmästi Paras Oy is a leading logistics company specializing in cold and frozen distribution in Finland, which has built service concepts for food logistics based on high quality and technology. The company’s turnover is about 25 million euros and the company transports about 300 thousand tons of food products every year.

Collico Oy is a logistics service company founded in 2019, which focuses on providing logistics services especially for domestic and international companies engaged in online food retailing.