Agropur, la Caisse create investment platform

Montreal – Two organizations have announced a new investment platform for businesses in the dairy industry.

In a statement, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (la Caisse) and Agropur Cooperative say they have created the new joint $40-million investment platform and they will fund it on a 50/50 basis.

The organizations say they intend to invest in innovative businesses specializing in dairy related products and technologies.

La Caisse is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. Agropur is a Quebec-based dairy processor with sales of $6.4 billion in 2017.

The joint investment platform will benefit both organizations as la Caisse will be able “to make the most of Agropur’s extensive operational knowledge of the agri-food sector, and Agropur to tap into la Caisse’s financial expertise in supporting small and medium-size enterprises.”

The statement says the organizations will focus “on growing companies with high potential for solid financial performance, which are led by a solid management team and who have demonstrated that innovation is a core element of their business model.”