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AKARTA: Investment firm KKR will invest US$81.2 million for 10.44 percent interest in publicly listed Japfa Comfeed Indonesia (JPFA), a statement says.

Integrated food company JPFA will place out 750 million new shares to KKR via private placement at approximately $52.9 million. Concurrent with the private placement, parent company Japfa Ltd. will sell 441.7 million shares in JPFA to KKR for an estimated $28.3 million.

Commenting on the sale of its shares in JPFA, Japfa CEO Tan Yong-nang said it was pleased to welcome KKR as a significant shareholder of its major subsidiary.

“We believe PT Japfa [JPFA] will benefit from KKR’s deep knowledge and experience in the agriculture and food sector, and its long-term investment thesis of promoting and enhancing the availability of safe and healthy food. We look forward to deepening our partnership with KKR in the future,” he said in the statement.

The statement also said that the private placement and share sale transactions were part of a strategy to introduce fresh equity funding to strengthen the balance sheet of the Japfa Group.

“The KKR investment package will improve the leverage ratio of Japfa and the group. In addition, Japfa will record a capital gain of approximately US$21.2 million from the sale of its shares in Japfa.” — JP