Artisanal Italian-style cheesemaker, Alba Cheese, has been acquired by private equity firm, Apta Group, as of 6 November. Alba was guided by accounting firm, EP Advisors, and Apta was advised by Victorian law firm, Maddocks.
Alba Cheese stated in a Linked in post: “We’re proud and excited to share that Apta Group has made a strategic investment into Alba Cheese marking the beginning of a new and very exciting journey for our family business.
“Partnering with Apta Group allows us to continue doing what we love as a family business still crafting high-quality, Italian-style cheese while growing our capabilities and bringing our products to even more tables around the globe.
“Here’s to the next chapter staying true to our roots while embracing the opportunities ahead. We look forward to working with Apta Group in driving the next phase of transformational growth,” it stated.
Alba Cheese branded products are sold both locally and abroad, with the company recently taking out six gold and seven silver medals at the 2025 Australian Dairy Awards, along with the Gold and Silver Champion Cheese Maker titles.
The Victorian company is second-generation family owned, and EP Advisors stated that a shared culture and long-term vision were paramount when presenting strategic options. Apta Group was selected as the ideal growth partner, and acquired a majority stake to support the family's expansion plans while maintaining ongoing involvement.
EP Advisors managing director, Emil Parthenides, said the objective was not to find a full exit, but rather to establish a longer-term strategy that would enable the family to maximise the growth opportunities the Alba brand has before them, particularly given strong export demand.
“Of the many parties including Multinational Dairy businesses, and Private Equity that showed interest in Alba Cheese, Apta Group became the preferred choice,” said Parthenides.
“Apta's recent track record of successfully growing similar businesses in a short timeframe, coupled with one of their shareholders being the owner of the highly successful ingredients business Oppenheimer, positioned Apta exceptionally well as the preferred strategic partner. They are committed to supporting the second-generation operators of Alba Cheese in every possible way to become Australia’s leading boutique cheese exporter.”
Apta Group also acquired Village Dairy Australia in June 2024, and its portfolio includes Southern Valley.
Maddocks corporate partner, Rahil Patel, said the firm was proud to have supported the Apta Group on its successful completion of its acquisition of Alba Cheese, a milestone transaction that marks a new chapter for both organisations.
“This deal reflects the growing scale and sophistication of the Apta Group and its team, and is a testament to their hard work and dedication to originating and executing on deals,” said Patel.
