Hong Kong’s Orion Partners wants to add agriculture to its investment offerings by partnering with expert GPs and strategic investors.
The JV between the Russian and UK firms has started talking to institutional investors and is raising capital for Eastern European Union investments.
Fund II will open up investment to new parts of the Eastern European region and offer a shorter investment period.
The Nigerian government made two commitments to the fund that is targeting $100m to provide agribusinesses in the country with growth capital.
Danica Pension is the latest LP to join the platform, preferring direct investment to committing to a fund.
A $5m investment into a Kenyan flower exporter represents one of the $100m Fund I's final deals, as the firm readies a first close for Fund II.
The fund attracted commitments from ‘less than five’ institutions, some of which were investing in the asset class for the first time.
The firm has made its third investment this year by buying the landscaping division of John Deere.
Latin America-focused Aqua Capital will invest in mid-market agribusiness and food companies in Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and other South American countries.
New York-based Arlon Group and its subsidiaries focus primarily on investments in the food and agriculture industries.