Altor and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division have acquired the majority stake in Hamlet Protein, the parties have announced.

They are taking on the stake from Polaris Private Equity and the Hamlet Protein’s founder Ole K Hansen, who both exit the company after successful periods.

Hamlet Proteins produces soy-based products that are used in feed for young animals – servicing more than 50 countries from their dual headquarters in Horsens, Denmark and Findlay, Ohio.

Polaris Private Equity exits the company after a successful investment and partnership that has seen Hamlet Protein develop into one of the leading specialists in its field.

Polaris partner Niels Worning praised the relationship between the two parties and said he was pleased that Polaris had managed to facilitate “a successful management succession”.

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“[We have] turned Hamlet Protein into a leading global provider of specialty soya for young animal feed – with a strong market position in Europe, US and Asia – through developing global sales organization and significant investments in expanding capacity including establishing a sales and production facility in the US,” he said.

Hamlet Protein CEO Søren Munch called the new partnership “another important milestone” for the company.

“With the strong support of Altor and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division we are uniquely positioned to accelerate the development and growth of Hamlet Protein and better service our customers and partners globally,” he added.

Michael Specht Bruun, managing director in the Merchant Banking Division of Goldman Sachs, said the team had been “impressed by the high value-add young animal feed platform that the management team and employees have built”.

“We see significant growth potential globally and are excited about partnering with Altor and the management team to support the company’s impressive growth trajectory both organically and through acquisitions,” he continued.

Further reading: Volume of M&A deals down 8% in 2014