Waterland Private Equity Investments will provide growth capital to The Cookware Company, a global manufacturer and distributor of ceramic cookware products. The Cookware Company, headquartered in Drongen (Belgium), was founded by Jan Helskens, Wim De Veirman & Sam Liu in 2004. The company generates a turnover of USD 400m and is specialized in the manufacturing and distribution of healthy ceramic coated cookware products in the US, Europe & Asia-Pacific. The company employs around 2,000 people across 3 production facilities (South Korea, China & Germany) and multiple sales offices around the world. Its products are marketed under internationally recognized brands such as Greenpan and Blue Diamond, complemented with local champion brands such as Royal Van Kempen & Begeer, Greenchef and BK.

The Cookware Company has experienced high growth in recent years due to a strong market shift towards ceramic coated cookware, which are free of PFAS-chemicals and therefore have beneficial personal health effects and are enviromentally friendly. The company is vertically integrated, from coating manufacturing to finished goods manufacturing over distribution to the end consumer, which is unique in the market and results in superior product quality. The founders attracted Waterland as a financial partner to accelerate the company’s growth; Waterland will provide additional financial resources and strategic support. In this context, the company will leverage its market leading position in the global ceramic cookware market through further investments in its online & offline sales channels and manufacturing capabilities.

The current management team, led by Jan Helskens, Wim De Veirman & Sam Liu, will remain active in the company and will fully support the growth story in the coming years.

Jan Helskens (Chairman) & Wim De Veirman (CEO): "Attracting Waterland as a partner is a logical next step in our growth trajectory. Waterland provides us with the expertise and the required capital to realize our ambitions in becoming a true leader in the global ceramic cookware market.”

Cedric Van Cauwenberghe, Managing Partner Waterland Private Equity: "For Waterland, the investment in The Cookware Company perfectly fits with our strategy to invest in growing, high-quality companies which have the ambition to become true leaders in their market."

The transaction is subject to customary conditions to closing, including obtaining approval from the competent competition authorities.

Contact information:
Cedric Van Cauwenberghe: callens@waterland.be or +32(0)32929660