Hartree Partners, LP, a global energy and commodities trading company, has successfully completed the acquisition of four core business units from ED&F Man Commodities, marking a significant expansion into the soft commodities sector. The transaction encompasses Volcafe (coffee), ED&F Man Liquid Products (molasses, animal feeds, and fish oil), ED&F Man Sugar, and ED&F Man Cotton operations.
The acquisition closing follows Hartree’s purchase of the majority of ED&F Man’s outstanding A2 and B1 Senior Secured Legacy Debt, along with the satisfaction of all required regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. This comprehensive transaction positions Hartree to leverage established market relationships and expertise across multiple soft commodity segments.
Strategic Expansion Initiative
Guy Merison, one of Hartree’s founding managing directors, characterised the acquisition as a significant milestone in the company’s strategic expansion into soft commodities markets. He emphasised how the transaction unlocks new growth opportunities for the combined platform by leveraging ED&F Man’s deep market understanding, global expertise, and established customer and supplier relationships.
The integration process includes the formation of a newly established ED&F Man executive management Committee, comprising Phillip Murnane, Alexandre Bauche, Colin Iles, Trishul Mandana, and Arie van der Spek. Additionally, four of these executives—Phillip Murnane, Alexandre Bauche, Trishul Mandana, and Arie van der Spek—will join Hartree’s Management Team, creating a unified leadership structure that combines the strengths of both organisations.
Leadership Transition and Integration
Phillip Murnane, CFO and COO of ED&F Man Commodities Ltd, expressed satisfaction with the strategic partnership, describing the transaction as representing a strong strategic fit with promising prospects for employees and stakeholders. He highlighted Hartree’s long-term commitment, deep market expertise, and shared values as factors supporting confidence in continued growth and success under the new ownership structure.
The acquisition brings comprehensive capabilities in soft commodities sourcing, logistics, and sustainability practices to Hartree’s existing platform. This expansion broadens the company’s operational scope and enhances its ability to deploy market expertise across a wider range of global commodity markets.
Operational Integration Progress
Integration efforts between the two organisations are proceeding successfully, with cross-functional teams from both companies collaborating to align operations and adopt best practices. The integration process focuses on combining operational strengths while maintaining the specialised expertise that has made each business unit successful in its respective market segment.
The unified leadership structure reflects a strategic approach to preserving the capabilities and market relationships that have established ED&F Man’s position in soft commodities markets while leveraging Hartree’s broader trading platform and resources. This combination positions the enlarged organisation to capitalise on opportunities across both traditional energy markets and expanded soft commodity segments.
The completed acquisition represents a transformative step in Hartree’s evolution as a diversified global commodities trading platform, combining established energy market expertise with specialised soft commodities capabilities across coffee, sugar, cotton, and liquid products markets.
For more information visit www.hartreepartners.com
