Vendis Capital has acquired a majority stake in Västerbottenssåpa, a fast-growing and profitable premium brand in cleaning products for home, laundry, and outdoor use. The company produces and sells soap-based products made from recycled raw materials, through both proprietary channels and selected retailers in Sweden, and has built a strong and loyal customer base. As part of the transaction, international consumer investor Vendis Capital becomes majority owner, while the current owners remain in operational roles and reinvest in the company. Together, the parties intend to continue accelerating the expansion.
Västerbottenssåpa was founded in 2014 in Vilhelmina as a reaction against throwaway culture, with the ambition of demonstrating that recycling as a business model can make a difference, and also be profitable. Building on a 100-year-old soap recipe, the Västerbottenssåpa team has successfully built a strong and well-regarded brand within sustainable cleaning products.
“Since our start in Vilhelmina, our goal has always been to prove that cleaning doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. We are incredibly proud of the community and customer loyalty we have built around Såpa.”
Sara Idenfors, CEO and Founder, Västerbottenssåpa
Rapid expansion, strong demand, and scaled marketing
In 2022, the decision was made to pursue a clear growth strategy, and in connection with this, the company brought in Fedja Porobic as a co-owner and Porobic Group to accelerate marketing. The collaboration with Porobic Group has enabled access to specialist expertise in niche areas during the company’s scaling phase, and since 2022 the company has delivered triple-digit growth. Growth is driven by authentic, effective, and scalable marketing deeply rooted in the company’s history, its own manufacturing, and Sara as a clear figurehead. The strong growth has also led to increased investment in and expansion of production capacity.
Västerbottenssåpa becomes the first investment in Vendis Transition
Västerbottenssåpa is the inaugural investment in Vendis Transition, an international fund investing in successful consumer companies with a clear sustainability angle. Vendis, with a strong track record in consumer investments, is precisely the type of partner the Såpa team felt the company needed on its expansion journey, and the fund’s explicit sustainability profile makes the investment a particularly strong fit.
“The partnership with Vendis is a natural next step for us — their deep understanding of consumer brands will allow us to remain true to our roots while expanding our sustainable heritage to households across Europe.”
Sara Idenfors, CEO and Founder, Västerbottenssåpa
Merge led the successful transaction from start to finish
Merge acted as M&A advisor to the owners of Västerbottenssåpa throughout the process, with the objective of finding a financial partner that could contribute not only capital but also expertise and experience to the continued expansion. Västerbottenssåpa — with its rapid growth, attractive profitability, well-loved product, proprietary manufacturing, and clear sustainability profile — generated significant interest among investors.
“As an entrepreneur and founder of a manufacturing company, this type of transaction is not something you encounter every day. Having access to Merge’s expertise as experienced advisors at every stage has been invaluable. In major deals, being able to feel secure and ask about both big and small matters feels truly unique.”
Sara Idenfors, CEO and Founder, Västerbottenssåpa
“We chose to bring in Merge as advisor and partner for this transaction partly because we felt they had the right competence and experience with similar companies, but above all because they were very honest and transparent. Working with Merge throughout the process meant we could focus on our core business while they held the baton from start to finish, helping us navigate all stakeholders without ever interfering in our decisions. Personally, I will always recommend Merge to friends in the industry — and I look forward to working together again across my other portfolio companies. Thank you so much for everything!”
Fedja Porobic, CEO, Porobic Group
For us at Merge, it has been greatly appreciated to support Västerbottenssåpa through an active and intensive process, which we believe will lay the foundation for a successful continued journey together with Vendis. The consumer sector and manufacturing companies are two of Merge’s focus areas, and we continue to see strong investor and buyer interest in this type of company.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help your company find the right investor, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
