Berkshire Partners to acquire Catalina

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Boston-based investment firm Berkshire Partners has entered an agreement to acquire from Hellman & Friedman majority control of Catalina, a provider of personalized digital media solutions for the CPG industry. Hellman & Friedman remains a significant investor.    



“We are attracted to Catalina’s unique ability to translate shopper data into personalized media at mass scale,” stated Brad Bloom, a managing director at Berkshire Partners. “We look forward to working alongside Catalina’s leadership team to accelerate their capacity to serve the world’s leading CPG retailers and brands.”



Following Hellman & Friedman’s acquisition of the company in 2007, Catalina charted a growth plan, transforming from a grocery channel coupon company to an omni-channel digital media platform. Today, Catalina reaches 350 million global shoppers each month. The company expanded its digital network by forming strategic partnerships with such retailers as Target and Walgreens; formed a joint venture with Nielsen to create BuyerGraphi media targeting for television and online advertising; and launched mobile and online promotion, as well as advertising solutions.



“We remain strong believers in Catalina’s vision, people and ability to drive innovations to capitalize on this incredible market opportunity,” stated Philip Hammarskjold, Hellman & Friedman CEO. “The company is well-positioned as the leading personalized digital media platform for CPG, and we are excited to continue our partnership with Catalina for years to come.”



Catalina plans to continue expanding its team of 1,350 employees across the globe, including operations in St. Petersburg, Fla., Boston, Chicago, Paris, and Tokyo.



“We believe this transaction is an affirmation of Catalina’s growth outlook, strategy and leadership team,” stated Jamie Egasti, Catalina CEO. “We’ll continue our investments in talent, technology and data science to drive innovations that will further enable our clients to engage and delight consumers.”



“We’ve enjoyed a successful partnership with Hellman & Friedman, and look forward to our next chapter of growth with Berkshire Partners,” added Egasti.