The information contained within this
announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014
as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of
the European
Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this
announcement via the Regulatory Information Service,
this inside information is now considered to be in the public
domain.
ESSENTIALLY GROUP
PLC
("Essentially" or "the Company'')
Completion of the Acquisition
of Best of Latin Foodstuff Trading LLC
Board
Changes
Essentially Group PLC (AQSE:ESSN) is
delighted to announce that, further to the announcement made on 8
March 2024:
1) its wholly
owned subsidiary, Essentially Holdings Limited, a company registered in Abu Dhabi Global Market with company
number 000005363 has completed the
acquisition of Best of Latin Foodstuff Trading LLC ("Best of
Latin") for a total consideration of £1,945,000 which is to be
satisfied with the issue of 3,705,000 new ordinary shares of £0.001
each in the Company at an issue price of £0.525p per share
("Consideration Shares"), as announced on 8 March 2024; and
that
2) Catalina Oñate
has been appointed as Executive Director of the Company with
immediate effect.
The Board of the Company also
announces that Ragnar Meitern, Non-Executive Director, has informed
the Board of his intention to step down as Non-Executive Director
of the Company given his increased other executive commitments
elsewhere. The Board would like to thank Mr Meitern for his service
and the contribution he has made to Essentially during his time on
the Board. The announcement of a successor will be made in due
course.
Catalina Oñate
Catalina graduated from La Sabana
University, Bogota - Colombia, in 2005, holding a degree in
Business Management. In 2003 as part of her studies, she had an
internship in a Hilton hotel located in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, where
she realised the potential of importing food products from Latin
America. After years of market research, in 2011 Catalina
established CI World Food Trading LLC in Dubai, UAE, the first
company in the country specialising in food products from Latin
America catering to the most demanding chefs of high-end hotels and
restaurants.
In 2016, after a rebranding process,
Best of Latin Foodstuff Trading LLC continued with the same mission
of bringing the best products from Latin America to the Middle
East. Catalina was also the first person to establish a first High
Pressure Processing tolling facility in the UAE, pioneering a new
era of awareness of food safety and clean-label products in the
region.
Consideration Shares - Admission to Trading
Application will be made for the
Consideration Shares, which will rank pari passu with the existing
Ordinary Shares in issue, to be admitted to trading on the AQSE
Growth Market ("Admission"). Dealings are expected to commence on
or around 17 May 2024. The Consideration Shares will be subject to
a lock-in agreement for 12 months from completion.
Following Admission, the Company's
total issued and voting share capital will consist of 55,005,000
Ordinary Shares. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in
treasury.
The above figures may be used by
shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they
will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or
a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's
Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Raja Abuljebain, CEO of
Essentially Group PLC, commented: "We are very pleased to complete this
acquisition and welcome Best of Latin and Catalina to the
Essentially group. This marks a significant milestone in our growth
journey, which aligns seamlessly with our commitment to developing
companies which can enable consumers to live fuller, healthier
lives. Work is already well under way to deliver on the
opportunities and synergies which we see between our businesses -
together, we will be able to take the Essentially group to new
heights. I would like to thank the teams at Best of Latin and
Essentially for their hard work and dedication throughout the
acquisition process and to Catalina for entrusting us with our
shared futures. We couldn't be more excited for the journey
ahead."
Catalina Oñate, CEO of Best of
Latin, commented: "I am delighted
that we have completed this deal to be acquired by Essentially.
Joining forces with Essentially and their team, who share our
commitment to quality, authenticity and health, is a perfect fit
for Best of Latin, which will allow us to expand our reach further
than ever before. I want to express my gratitude to the Essentially
team for their warm welcome and collaborative spirit throughout
this process. Together, we can forge a path into the future and I
am confident that we will achieve great success for both our
customers and our teams."
Disclosures required pursuant to
Rule 4.9 of the AQSE Growth Market Access Rulebook
Current directorships or
partnerships:
|
Previous directorships or
partnerships:
|
Best of Latin Foodstuff Trading
LLC
|
CI World Food Trading LLC
|
|
Smart Food Solutions FZCO
|
|
|
Following completion,
Catalina Oñate holds 3,705,000 Ordinary Shares in the
Company.
Save as set out in this
announcement, there is no further information regarding Catalina
Oñate that is required to be disclosed pursuant to rule 4.9 of the
AQSE Growth Market Access Rulebook.
The Directors accept responsibility
for this announcement.
- end -
For
further information, please contact:
Essentially Group Plc
|
|
Raja W Abuljebain, CEO
|
Tel:
+97156 6440676
|
|
https://essentiallyplc.com
|
AQSE Exchange Corporate Adviser
|
|
Alfred Henry Corporate Finance Ltd
|
|
Nick Michaels/Maya Klein
Wassink
|
Tel: +44
(0) 20 3772 0021
|
|
www.alfredhenry.com
|
Broker
|
|
Clear Capital Markets Ltd
|
|
Andrew Blaylock
|
Tel: +44
(0)20 3869 6082
|
|
https://clearcapitalmarkets.co.uk
|
About Essentially Group PLC
Essentially's mission and strategy
is the acquisition, holding and development of companies active in
the health food and beverages market. Essentially's wholly
owned operating subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates ("UAE"),
Essentially Juices Manufacturing LLC ("EJM"), offers premium
quality wellness shots, functional juices, lemonades, nut milks,
single origin fruit juices and healthy protein snacks. EJM has a
manufacturing facility in Dubai where the beverages are produced
and is active in the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia fruit and
vegetable juice market.
For more information on the Company please visit
https://essentiallyplc.com/