GERMANY: Tengelmann invests in US chocolate firm Tcho

Tengelmann Group invests in two young American companies

Emil Capital Partners acquires shareholding in Tcho and VariBlend

Mülheim an der Ruhr/Greenwich, 12 February 2013 – The Tengelmann Group has, together with its American subsidiary, Emil Capital Partners LLC, acquired a shareholding in chocolate maker Tcho and VariBlend Dual Dispensing Systems in the US. "Both Tcho and VariBlend exhibit enormous economic potential in their respective market segments. We at Emil Capital Partners are confident these two companies will succeed and we look forward to accompanying them along the way", explains Christian Haub, Chairman and President of Emil Capital Partners.

Shareholding in Tcho

During a Series B round of financing, Emil Capital Partners acquired a shareholding in premium chocolate maker Tcho. The capital we have invested will primarily serve to push the company's expansion forward: in addition to the expansion of sales activities, measures to increase awareness for the company, expand plant capacities and introduce new products are in planning. "Tcho is already firmly established in its market environment in the US. The company has excelled particularly through its dedication to innovation and high quality standards for the procurement of raw materials and production", explains Haub.

Tcho is involved in every step of the chocolate making process, from bean to bar. The chocolate maker works directly with cacao farmers to improve bean quality by helping them develop new methods for fermentation and drying. Further information is available at

www.tcho.com.

Shareholding in VariBlend Together with J. Burke Capital Partners, Emil Capital Partners has acquired a shareholding in VariBlend Dual Dispensing Systems in a round of financing. VariBlend manufactures containers with a one-of-a-kind, patented dispensing pump system, which are used for a wide range of applications in the cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical industries. The containers and dispensing pumps have two independent chambers, which enable the variable separation of liquid products according to colour, tensile strength, composition or active ingredient.

The dual chamber in the pump can also be configured for a specific mixing ratio.

"The wide range of applications means that VariBlend has the potential to establish itself in different product categories in different industries within the market and to take a pioneering role", explains Christian Haub. More information is available at www.variblend.com.

About Emil Capital Partners

Emil Capital is an entrepreneurial, private investment company based in Greenwich, Connecticut, and managed by the fifth generation of one of the world’s most successful and venerable family business concerns. For more information please visit www.emilcapital.org.

Original source: Tengelmann Group