~$30M
Total value improvement identified
A Comprehensive Operational Analysis to Maximize Exit Value
A private equity firm engaged EFESO to prepare a foodservice company for potential sale by identifying value improvement opportunities across three facilities. Together, we conducted a six-week operational analysis examining manufacturing operations, procurement and maintenance functions. The comprehensive assessment uncovered approximately $30 million in improvement opportunities, with 80% capturable within six months.
Industry: Food & Beverage
Industry: Private Equity
Service: Cost and Value Engineering
Service: Manufacturing
Service: Operations Strategy and Transformation
Service: Procurement
Service: Transactions and Turnaround
Our Client
A leading US foodservice company specializing in fruit and flavor solutions, including coffee flavors, smoothies and juice toppings. It serves restaurant chains, foodservice distributors and healthcare institutions across the American market. As a portfolio company of a private equity fund, with approximately $7 billion in assets under management, the company had been held for four to five years before preparing for exit.
The Challenge
The private equity firm needed to maximize exit value while proactively identifying potential risks before entering the sale process. The engagement faced several critical constraints:
- High baseline performance complexity – As one of the largest and most profitable companies in the portfolio, finding significant improvement levers required deep operational analysis beyond surface-level assessments
- Compressed timeline requirements – Only six weeks were available to assess three geographically dispersed facilities, with varying production capacities
- Dual mandate balance – There was a need to identify value improvement opportunities for negotiation leverage, while simultaneously uncovering potential “value leaks” that could impact valuation. This required objective fact-based assessments of asset conditions and operational risks
Real Results Achieved Together
The operational analysis delivered a comprehensive roadmap for value creation across manufacturing, procurement and maintenance functions. Working with in-house teams, we identified actionable improvements spanning operational efficiency, strategic sourcing and asset optimization.
+30%
Average throughput increase
~$21M
From operational enhancements
Transformation Impact
- Identified OEE improvement opportunities through optimized CIP, setup and changeover processes targeting high-margin products
- Uncovered procurement savings through better contract usage and supplier consolidation strategies
- Revealed maintenance culture shift opportunity, from reactive to preventive practices, reducing lost production time
Our Approach
EFESO conducted a comprehensive six-week operational analysis examining end-to-end processes from raw material intake to final product shipment. The assessment covered over 200 hours of direct observation and analysis across three main facilities.
The scope encompassed manufacturing operations including layout, material flow, capacity bottlenecks, value-added versus non-value-added activities, OEE by line, root causes of losses, scrap levels and sanitation processes. At the corporate level, we analyzed procurement spend optimization and strategic sourcing opportunities that were crucial for margin improvement in this low-margin business.
Our repair/reliability and maintenance assessment focused on opportunities to optimize overall equipment efficiency, maximize return on capital, reduce downtime and improve asset performance. The highly reactive maintenance culture, with 74% reactive maintenance causing up to 10% lost production time, presented clear improvement opportunities.
The engagement structure prioritized quantifiable value with an actionable implementation plan, providing potential investors with tangible operational improvements impacting EBITDA and cash flow.
Related Services
Cost and Value Engineering
Rising costs demand optimization from design through production. We apply cross-functional value engineering, zero-based redesign, and continuous cost tracking to protect margins.
Manufacturing
Aging equipment meets rising costs and technology disruption. We transform operations through smart factory integration, predictive maintenance, and workforce capability building.
Operations Strategy and Transformation
Helping organizations rethink how they create value. We strengthen performance, build resilience, and accelerate growth across every layer of your business.
Procurement
Material costs and supplier volatility threaten profitability. We unlock savings through strategic sourcing, supplier collaboration, and digital procurement transformation.
Transactions and Turnaround
High-stakes situations demand rapid, decisive action. We stabilize and transform through operational diagnostics, cash flow optimization, and sustainable restructuring programs.
Facing Similar Private Equity Portfolio Challenges?
- Preparing portfolio companies for exit while uncovering hidden operational value
- Transforming reactive maintenance cultures into proactive asset optimization systems
- Building fact-based operational roadmaps that maximize negotiation leverage
Discover More Clients Results
80%
Projects realized on-time
Transportation, Logistics and Services
Achieving Sustainable Transformation, From Vision to Strategy and Implementation, for a Major European Port
Transformed Europe's second-largest port into climate-neutral hub while increasing throughput and securing substantial EU funding.
>98.5%
Delivery readiness level consistently maintained despite inflation, sustainability investments and 12% volume growth
Food & Beverage
Unified Performance and Culture Transformation Across a Global Food Network
An eight year journey hardwired a common way of thinking and working into the organization, enabling Bell Food Group to sustain delivery performance above 98.5% despite rising costs and market complexity.
+10K
Pallet positions created through optimized DC layout expansion design
Life Sciences
Feasibility Study Enables +10,000 Pallet Pharma Distribution Center in Romania
EFESO conducted a feasibility study for a new 10,000-pallet automated warehouse in Romania, optimizing logistics design, layout, and CAPEX to enable scalable, efficient pharmaceutical distribution.
10%
CAGR in assembly labor productivity in participating plants
Automotive and Commercial Vehicles
A Competitive Award as the Catalyst for Global Factory Excellence at a global Automotive OEM
EFESO implemented a global award-based operational excellence program for a leading automotive OEM, boosting productivity, cost efficiency, employee engagement, and sustainability across the factory network.
+$10M
Annual margin improvement through better loss control and operational routines
Oil & Gas, Sustainable Energy
Co-creating the Industrial Future with Lean in a Refinery for a Leading Global Oil Company
A major refinery embed lean practices, improve operational performance, and strengthen cultural engagement, generating significant financial and organizational impact.
16–23%
Potential cost savings identified on key bill of materials components
Automotive and Commercial Vehicles
Empowering Cost Transparency for High-Volume Battery Module Supply
A mid-sized European automotive supplier develop a robust cost model and uncover savings for a high-voltage battery module, strengthening internal alignment and negotiation readiness.
+5–6%
EBITDA expected in 5 years
Life Sciences
Redesigning Operations and Optimizing Supply Chain in Cosmetics Production
EFESO supported a major cosmetics supplier in redesigning operations across six factories and optimizing the supply chain, targeting improved productivity and long-term profitability.
90%
Average OTIF achieved in under two years
Life Sciences
Operational Excellence and Digital Transformation in Pharmaceutical Production
A mid-sized pharmaceutical company achieved measurable efficiency, cost, and delivery improvements at four European sites through EFESO’s Operational Excellence and Digital Transformation programs.