Hartree Partners, a global energy and commodities trading company, has closed its acquisition of ED&F Man Commodities’ four core business units: Volcafe (coffee), ED&F Man Liquid Products (molasses, animal feeds, and fish oil), ED&F Man Sugar, and ED&F Man Cotton. The closing follows the acquisition of the majority of ED&F Man’s outstanding A2 and B1 Senior Secured Legacy Debt and the satisfaction of all required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Guy Merison, one of Hartree’s founding managing directors, comments: ‘This acquisition marks a significant and exciting step in Hartree’s strategic expansion into soft commodities. It unlocks new opportunities for growth for our combined platform, leveraging ED&F Man’s deep market understanding, global expertise, and strong customer and supplier relationships. There will be a newly formed ED&F Man Executive Management Committee, composed of Phillip Murnane, Alexandre Bauche, Colin Iles, Trishul Mandana, and Arie van der Spek. Phillip Murnane, Alexandre Bauche, Trishul Mandana and Arie van der Spek will also join the Hartree Management Team.’
Phillip Murnane, CFO and COO of ED&F Man Commodities adds: ‘We are very pleased to be joining Hartree. This transaction represents a strong strategic fit and a promising future for our employees and stakeholders. With Hartree’s long-term commitment, deep market expertise, and shared values, we’re confident in the continued growth and success of ED&F Man Commodities under their ownership.’
The addition of Volcafe, ED&F Man Liquid Products, ED&F Man Sugar and ED&F Man Cotton brings deep capabilities in soft commodities sourcing, logistics, and sustainability, broadening Hartree’s platform and enhancing its ability to deploy market expertise across a wider range of global commodity markets. Integration efforts are progressing well, with cross-functional teams from both organizations collaborating to align operations and adopt best practices. As part of this process, senior leaders from ED&F Man will join Hartree’s Management Team, forming a unified leadership structure that reflects the strengths and capabilities of both businesses.
