The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relevant to wealth advisors and their clients.

Cibus Capital
With the need to produce food more sustainably, Cibus Fund II, a sustainable food and agriculture investment fund, has just announced a majority stake acquisition in Spain’s PSB Producción Vegetal, which focuses on proprietary fruit genetics and stone fruit breeding. The deal positions PSB and Cibus to drive the future of climate-resilient, quality fruit varieties that meet evolving grower, consumer, and supply chain demands, the firm said in a statement.

Headquartered in Murcia, PSB has helped stone fruit breeding with a portfolio of 74 patented varieties and 51 more under review, spanning peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, and expanding into table grapes and cherries. PSB’s cutting-edge R&D integrates advanced molecular marker techniques and a hybridisation programme – working with up to 120,000 new hybrids – to develop fruit varieties that boast superior taste, disease resistance, and adaptability to climate change challenges such as low chill requirements and extended seasonality. Under the leadership of PSB's CEO Stéphane Buffat, who will retain a stake in the business, the company will continue with the same philosophy, supported by the continuity of all executives and professionals within the breeding programme, the firm continued.

PSB’s advances are reshaping the global fresh fruit market by delivering varieties that reduce chemical inputs, enhance shelf life, and optimise supply chain durability, the firm continued. Its commitment to flavour and sustainable agriculture has made it a trusted partner for growers, marketers, and retailers worldwide. The company’s recent breakthroughs include the development of disease-resistant stone fruit varieties that help growers combat threats such as sharka virus and powdery mildew, enabling healthier fruit with lower environmental impact.

“Partnering with PSB places us at the forefront of natural breeding in the high-value fruit sector. Its pioneering work is vital to creating climate-resilient crops that secure sustainable food supply chains in a rapidly changing world,” Rob Appleby, founder and CIO of Cibus Capital, said. “PSB exemplifies world-class improvement and sustainability. We see tremendous potential to scale its impact globally, transforming the fruit industry with next-generation varieties.”

“With Cibus’ backing, we will enhance our breeding programmes through technological innovation and expand into new markets, all while delivering exceptional fruit varieties that delight consumers and empower growers,” Buffat added.

The transaction, with Cibus Fund II was advised by Uría Menéndez and KPMG; PSB was advised by Garrigues and Baker Tilly, The deal is expected to close in Q2 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

Cibus Capital is a London-based sustainable food and agriculture investment firm advising over $1 billion. Founded in 2016, the Cibus funds invest in companies helping to transform the food and agriculture value chain towards commercial viability, sustainability and resilience across Europe, the US, and OECD countries.

PIMCO
PIMCO, focused on active fixed income with expertise across public and private markets, has just launched the PIMCO Diversified Private Credit fund (DPC Fund), an evergreen private credit concentrating on multi-sector private lending. 

The DPC Fund is structured as a Luxembourg domiciled SCA, qualifying as a UCI Part II Fund, the firm said in a statement. It will be managed by a PIMCO investment committee, with experience in multi-sector private lending, including Dan Ivascyn, managing director and group chief investment officer, and managing directors and portfolio managers Kristofer Kraus and Mathieu Clavel. 

PIMCO’s semi-liquid DPC Fund aims to provide wealth investors across Europe with an opportunity set across a diverse investment universe, encompassing private loans secured by hard assets, residential mortgages, consumer credit, corporate credit, and commercial real estate loans. Loans secured by hard assets include consumer-related credit (such as auto, equipment or residential loans), non-consumer-related credit (including aviation finance and data infrastructure), and residential mortgages.

The DPC Fund will employ a diversified, relative value approach across these assets, with the aim of constructing a downside-protected portfolio that can generate both income and long-term capital appreciation.