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MPearlRock looks for three deals a year in ripe retail sector; TPG adds to busy HR segment

Good morning Hubsters, Craig McGlashan here on Tuesday Wire duty.

The January sales are in full swing and private equity is no exception, with plenty of deals in the consumer and retail sector for us to cover.

Looking deeper, MPearlRock, a new vehicle from MidOcean Partners and retail supermarket chain Kroger Co’s investment firm PearlRock Partners, has an investment plan that MidOcean’s Erik Oken shared with PE Hub’s Rafael Canton.

We then switch to the human resources sector, another area that has had healthy dealflow thanks in part to the increased burden of regulation. That’s been true on both sides of the Atlantic. We’ve got several deals to tell you about there.

Retail therapy

One of the newest entrants going shopping in retail is MPearlRock, formed by private equity firm MidOcean Partners and retail supermarket chain Kroger Co’s investment group PearlRock Partners.

The partnership is the amalgamation of MidOcean’s 20-plus years of experience investing in the consumer packaged-goods sector and Kroger’s vast retail experience gleaned from selling groceries for more than 140 years, writes PE Hub’s Rafael Canton.

Subscribe to read more about the partnership’s investment strategy in the full version of the Wire as Rafael speaks to MidOcean chairman of private equity Erik Oken.

Other recent consumer and retail deals include Fengate Private Equity acquiring a niche food products company from Benford Capital Partners.

Over on PE Hub Europe this morning we covered Bridgepoint acquiring a majority stake in French skincare company RoC from Gryphon Investors.

Find out the deal size in the subscriber version of the Wire.

People power

Another sector where we’ve seen plenty of action lately is in human resources.

Adding another deal to the list this morning was TPG, which has agreed to invest in a human resources and technology services platform.

The deal follows CDPQ-backed Workleap in December acquiring an Austin-based human resources technology software-as-a-service business with 2,000 customers globally.

The flurry of HR deals has been even more pronounced in Europe.

In January alone, PE Hub Europe has covered deals involving Battery Ventures, Extens and Investcorp.

OK that’s all from me today. Chris Witkowskywill be in the chair tomorrow.

Cheers,

Craig

Read the full wire commentary on PE Hub ...

Also of note (may require subscriptions)

Macquarie Asset Management has started the year by announcing the close of “the industry’s largest-ever fund focused on European infrastructure” on over €8 billion. (Agri Investor)

Inside Blackstone’s plan to deploy $65bn in dry powder: New global real estate co-head Nadeem Meghji believes the firm has ‘an unparalleled opportunity’ to invest capital amid a dislocated market. (Private Equity Real Estate)

London-based start-up Bridge, an online platform for matching sub line lenders and borrowers, has accelerated its plans to expand into the US. The company began operating in the UK and Europe last autumn. (Private Funds CFO)

Emerging and diverse managers find ally in Apollo-backed New Catalyst: Firm founder Jason Howard says New Catalyst Strategic Partners plans to initially do seven to 10 deals, with investments between $60m and more than $75m. (Venture Capital Journal)