Acquisition of MARILJOHN

ECF GROUP announces a new external growth operation in Pacific-Asia with the acquisition of a majority stake in MARILJOHN. After the acquisitions of Safco, Chemworks, and Hisco in 2022, the Franco-Australian Group definitively takes its place as a leader in Australia. This operation with a specialist in the Professional Kitchen Equipment allows the Group to strengthen its presence in this segment.

At the end of this operation, the group’s annual turnover will amount to €740m, with 220,000 customers, 23 brands in 20 countries and more than 1,700 employees worldwide.

Mariljohn was founded in 1982 by the Kent family and is now a leader in the design and manufacture of professional kitchens and bars. Rich in a 40-year history during which the company was at the origin of kitchens of many hospitals, restaurants, and aged care facilities, Mariljohn knew how to evolve and adapt to the changes of the market, to offer today a complete service, turnkey, from design to manufacturing and installation.

Mariljohn will be able to draw on ECF Group’s experience in the Professional Kitchen Equipment sector since the acquisition of its German subsidiary Gastrototal in 2022. ECF Group intends to become one of the key players in the sector in the coming years, in its areas of activity, particularly in France and Europe.

Local anchorage and proximity to customers is a key success factor in this business. This is particularly the case with the ECF subsidiary dedicated to this activity in Europe, Gastrototal, which manages a network of 8 branches in Germany and Austria. Mariljohn’s current location in the Melbourne area will not evolve as part of the transaction. In addition, the Group is pleased to announce that Andrew and Matthew Kent will continue to manage the company, while retaining a minority share in the company.

This acquisition is part of the profound evolution of ECF Group initiated since 2017 with the support of its shareholders, in particular Naxicap Partners. The group’s M&A activity has made it possible to carry out around thirty external growth operations over the past 5 years.