Krause Law Represents Key Shareholders in US $100 Million South African Transaction

Omnia Group, a global agribio conglomerate headquartered in South Africa, has just announced its acquisition of Oro Agri SEZC and related Oro Agri operating companies for US$100 million. Krause Law represented a group of shareholders owning 20% of Oro Agri SEZC in a transaction that required 90% shareholder approval, giving them a key role in finalizing the transaction.

Oro Agri is a market leader in agriculture biologics, operating in major agriculture regions around the world, and has developed and marketed environmentally friendly, non-toxic and ecologically safe adjuvants, crop protection products, liquid foliar fertilizers and soil conditioners for large scale agriculture applications as well as smaller pasture, lawn and garden applications.

Philip Krause incorporated the original Oro Agri entity as a Missouri corporation in 2002, which eventually became a Cayman Islands entity, Oro Agri SECZ, to hold a portfolio of intellectual property left over from another significant exit transaction he was then handling. In the years since then, Krause has represented Oro Agri entities in various corporate and contract matters and served briefly on its board of directors at the bequest of a shareholder group. More recently, Krause has represented the shareholder group in litigation involving the company, management and other shareholders in multiple U.S. jurisdictions, and in multi-jurisdictional merger transactions to restructure the company’s ownership and management. In order to complete the transaction with Omnia Group, Krause negotiated a series of settlements and transactions, interacting with interested parties and attorneys in Central America, Africa, Australia and Asia as well as multiple U.S. jurisdictions, eventually positioning the shareholder group to participate in the transaction with Omnia Group.

The acquisition transaction is subject to certain conditions, including approval of the Reserve Bank of South Africa, and is expected to close within the next two months.

View public announcement here.