CVC Capital Partners VIII (“CVC Fund VIII”) has agreed to acquire a majority stake in The Quality Group (“TQG”). CVC Fund VIII will invest alongside all previous owners of TQG, who will reinvest in the business as minority shareholders. Founders Benjamin Burkhardt and Christian Wolf will continue to play key roles in the operational development of TQG. Financial terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

TQG is a leading manufacturer of innovative sports performance nutrition products and healthy, low-sugar food alternatives in the DACH region. Formed in December 2020 through the merger of “ESN” and “More Nutrition” the group offers a wide range of high-quality lifestyle products such as protein powder, weight management products, vitamins and sports supplements. Direct interaction with its customers is at the heart of the TQG’s strategy – from the sale of products via own web shops to their partnerships with 300 influencers who are part of its brands’ loyal customer base. Through these partnerships and its own channels, TQG reaches five million followers daily on various social media platforms. TQG’s headquarters and production facilities are based in Elmshorn near Hamburg and it employs 360 people.

Together with the founders, CVC will help to further accelerate the business’s growth path by scaling its logistics activities and improving the customer experience, as well as expanding the product portfolio in both the DACH region and internationally. TQG will benefit from CVC’s entrepreneurial expertise and large international network.

CVC has been active in the German market for more than 30 years and successfully works with numerous large and medium-sized companies. These include several companies in which the founders and founding families are still co-invested, such as Douglas, Europe’s leading premium beauty retailer, and the Messer Group, a global leader in industrial gases.

Closing of the transaction is subject to approval by the relevant regulatory authorities and is expected for the end of the second quarter of 2022.