Chilean fish producer AquaChile has acquired a 60 per cent stake in Grupo ACI, the largest single producer of fresh tilapia for the US market. FSV represented Grupo ACI in this transaction.

Grupo ACI is composed of (i) AquaCorporación Internacional, S.A. (Costa Rica), which produces tilapia in its 1,000 acre tilapia farm located in Guanacaste Province, (ii) Terrapez, S.A. (Costa Rica), a state of the art tilapia processing facility, and (iii) Rain Forest Aquaculture (United States), the marketing arm of the group. Together, the companies employ over 700 people and supply both fresh and frozen tilapia to wholesaler distributors, food service operators and retailers throughout the United States.

AquaChile is the second largest salmon producer worldwide and the largest exporter of salmon and trout in Chile. It is based in the southern provinces where aquaculture is the main economic activity. It has over 20 years of experience in the market and is a leader in genetical selection, nutrition and animal health.

Grupo ACI was represented by Benjamin E. Marcus, partner of the Maine firm Drummond Woodsum _& MacMahon, and by partner Eric Scharf and associates Fabiana Gutiérrez and Carmen de Téramond, of the Costa Rican firm Feinzaig, Scharf & van der Putten. AquaChile was advised by Pedro A. Freyre, partner of the Miami firm Akerman Senterfitt and by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.