Casa Optima, an Italian group active in more than 150 countries and owner of eight brands among the most popular and appreciated in the market of artisanal ice cream, high quality pastry and mixed drinks, announces that Charterhouse Capital Partners has reached an agreement for the sale of the company to a group of investors led by Terlos LLP. The completion of the transaction is expected by the first quarter of 2026 and is subject to the usual conditions related to legal requirements.

Terlos, a private investment firm specialising in European consumer brands, has as its sole limited partner Javier Ferrán, the current president of Casa Optima, and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ("ADIA").

Established as a multibrand group in 2019, Casa Optima has its main headquarters in San Clemente (Rimini) and serves over 30,000 ice cream parlors and 6,000 pastry shops in more than 150 countries around the world. The company, with 5 production sites and more than 1,000 employees, of which about 700 in Italy, has a complete portfolio of high-quality ingredients for homemade ice cream, pastry and beverages.

Supported by Charterhouse already since 2016 (at the time under the MEC3 brand), Casa Optima has embarked on a significant growth path, succeeding in a few years to establish itself as a leading company in the global market. In particular, over the last 10 years, it has further expanded its offer, growing both internally and through strategic acquisitions of some of the main brands in the sector such as Modecor, Giuso, Blend Coberturas and Pernigotti Maestri Gelatieri Italiani. 

These operations have allowed the creation of a pole of excellence of made in Italy internationally recognized, accelerating innovation with investments in research and development. In parallel, Casa Optima has significantly strengthened its management team with the appointment of Francesco Fattori as ceo and Javier Ferrán as president.

"Since I joined the board of directors of Casa Optima -explains Javier Ferrán, managing partner of Terlos and President of Casa Optima-, I have been very impressed by the strength of the group and the value of its management, the extent and quality of strategic opportunities for society in the near future. We now intend to continue working with Francesco and the management team to capitalize on our leadership and strengthen the positioning achieved by the company in recent years under the guidance of Charterhouse".

Francesco Fattori, ceo of Casa Optima, added: "Thanks to the continuous support of Charterhouse, in recent years, Casa Optima has been able to achieve a solid expansion both in terms of revenues and profits, thanks to strong internationalization plans, Numerous strategic acquisitions and the development of successful brands and products. We are excited to continue working with Javier, along with Terlos, as we continue to pursue our ambitious plans for organic and inorganic growth".

"Casa Optima is now in an optimal position to continue its expansion -says Antonio di Lorenzo, partner of Charterhouse Capital Partners-. We are proud to have joined the management team, led by Francesco and Javier, in the development and transformation that has led Casa Optima to become a leader in its market. We have no doubt that Javier and his team, thanks to their deep experience in the consumer sector and their direct knowledge of Casa Optima, will be able to support the group in the challenges that await them".