NEO Investment Partners, founder Pierre Marcolini and the management have sold the chocolatier Pierre Marcolini to the Japanese company VM2 Holdings, controlled by the investment fund MBK Partners.

Since NEO Investment Partners took a stake in the company in 2013, Pierre Marcolini has experienced strong international growth, particularly in Japan and China.

The Brussels-based luxury chocolatier includes around 350 people and counts 43 retail stores in Belgium, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Dubai, Japan and China.

NEO Investment Partners is a British investment fund founded in 2004 and dedicated to the fashion, hotel, restaurant, design, perfume and luxury accessories sectors.

MBK Partners is one of the largest Asian investment funds and manages the Godiva chocolate maker in Asia.

NEO Investment Partners, founder Pierre Marcolini and the management were advised by Dentons Paris with a M&A team composed of partner Guillaume Kessler and associates Caroline Pucel and Imane Sayah.