Ropes & Gray Advises Dutch Investor on Significant Minority Investment in Baladin

Ropes & Gray is advising a Dutch family office on a significant minority investment in Baladin, an Italian company operating in the craft beer production and distribution industry.

Baladin was the first brewery to manufacture a 100% Italian beer, creating an integrated national agricultural supply chain that begins with the cultivation of raw materials (with more than 95% of ingredients produced in-house), continues through its production facilities, and extends to its proprietary distribution network. The brewery has consistently maintained high standards of quality and environmental sustainability and was also a pioneer in introducing craft beer to the restaurant sector, promoting it as a gastronomic beverage to be rediscovered through sophisticated food pairings.

This financing round will support the group’s growth plan across four strategic pillars: doubling industrial production capacity, accelerating commercial expansion, strengthening digital infrastructure, and expanding the retail network through the opening of six new locations, including two new flagship venues in Milan and Rome in the coming months. These will complement the existing locations in Piozzo, Turin, Turin Airport, Rome, and Cuneo.

The financing round is also part of a broader corporate reorganization which will involve the integration of the restaurant business activities (operating under the Open Baladin brand) into the group's perimeter.

Closing is expected to take place in November and remains subject to certain corporate approvals and customary closing conditions.

The Ropes & Gray team was led by private equity partner Fabrizio Scaparro with support from associates Gaia Pisani and trainees Manfredi Comandè and Costanza Cappelli. Additional support was provided on regulatory matters by counsel Luca Amicarelli and associate Riccardo Marcolongo, and on antitrust and FDI matters by counsel Jacopo Figus Diaz.