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Genesis Group

A healthy conscience

Region: Latin America, Brazil Investment date: 2014 Sector: Private Equity Exit date: Deal type: Acquisition Status date: Current

The wheat in your bread, the corn in your flakes, the milk in your coffee cup: they all need to be checked for quality. As consumers become more discerning about where their food comes from, the world’s largest trading companies are using third party testing as a means of differentiating their products. Genesis Group (Genesis) is the largest grain testing and inspection business in Brazil, ensuring that multinational traders are selling products that meet buyer expectations.

Genesis tests grains from farms to ports to check that the product meets quality specifications such as humidity and purity. Test results are used by grain traders in pricing decisions. Genesis also certifies milk by testing the process and facilities of farms and cattle health. Brazil has 360,000 milk-selling farms producing 23 billion litres a year, the quality of which is low with only 20% of farms meeting global standards.

Brazil is the second largest exporter of soybean and third largest producer of corn in the world, with grain production having grown steadily over the last 20 years. Testing, inspection and certification has developed into a US$200bn global industry over the last decade, and is set to continue its growth on the back of increased global trade and the demand for traceable, quality produce.

Genesis prides itself on a strong brand reputation, reliability of service, a differentiated IT platform and the largest network of qualified testers (c 1,000). With a market share of almost double the next largest player (SGS with c.20% share) the team believes it has the potential to become the largest agricultural TIC (Testing Inspection and Certification) company in Latin America.

Actis partnered with the Genesis founders, Rodrigo Alves and Henrique Victorelli in December 2014, who continue to lead the business they have built up over 13 years.

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Genesis Group