Ardian takes a stake in Piz'wich to support its international expansion

The company, which was set up in 2001 and then acquired by Stéphane Delahaye in 2011, has enjoyed steady business growth in a changing market which harbours major growth potential. The management has rapidly adapted its business model by creating an innovative stand-out product suited to niche high-growth markets: the “Pizza Pocket”, a frozen slice of pizza which is folded in order to be eaten as a snack. Using primarily French ingredients, with a strong focus on quality and traceability, Piz’wich has responded to an ever-increasing demand for this type of product while at the same time complying with stringent certification and control requirements.

Stéphane Delahaye, President of Piz’wich, said: “After experiencing very strong growth since 2012, we launched several product ranges and established partnerships with a number of retailers. We now wish to accelerate our international development, particularly in Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux, the US and Canada, and strengthen our relationships with our local partners and distributors. For this next phase, Ardian was a logical partner because of its capacity to provide support in these key markets and its suitability aiding with our strategic challenges.”

As well as allowing Piz’wich to benefit from Ardian’s existing network to expand internationally, this investment will assist in the company’s recent commitment to developing its range of products. 
Frédéric Quéru, Senior Investment Manager at Ardian Growth, added: “This is exactly the type of partnership Ardian looks for. We are looking forward to working with Piz’wich and supporting Stéphane with our international experience and expertise in hyper-growth strategies. Stéphane Delahaye’s dynamic approach makes this a very appealing project and we wish to provide him with the necessary means to implement his ambitious strategy.”

Piz’wich represents the fifth transaction in only a year for Ardian Growth, further to previous investments in TimeOne and JeChange.fr which followed reinvestments in Bricoprivé and HR Path. Ardian Growth is a leading partner for profitable growth companies generating sales of €10 to 100 million.