Arcor and Danone inject $30M into Argentina's La Serenísima to clear bank debt
What's the deal? La Serenísima, the Argentine dairy company owned by Mastellone HermanosDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, has received a $30 million capital injection from La Serenísima UnidaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the joint venture created by ArcorDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and DanoneDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The funds will be used to cancel bank debt.
Why now? The move comes less than a month after Arcor and Danone took joint control of Mastellone. It marks their first disbursement to shore up the dairy maker's finances.
How it works: Mastellone disclosed the transaction to Argentina's Comisión Nacional de Valores (CNV). Its board accepted the irrevocable contribution "on account of future subscription of shares."
By the numbers: The capital arrives as pressure mounts. In the first half of the year, La Serenísima reported losses of 4,790 million pesos, up from 1,161 million pesos a year earlier, and carried financial debts of roughly 259,189 million pesos.
What's the endgame? In early August, Arcor and Danone formalised the integration of their dairy businesses under a board of eight — four members from each partner. The new entity combines assets from Mastellone and Danone ArgentinaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to gain scale and efficiency.
Mastellone had focused on milk, cheese, and butter, while Danone Argentina handled yoghurts, desserts, and refrigerated products, often sharing the La Serenísima brand. The process began in April 2025, when the BagleyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → partners exercised an option to buy the 51% of shares still held by the Mastellone family and the Dallpoint fund.
What could go wrong? The two sides spent months apart on valuation before reaching a deal in late March. The transaction amount was never officially disclosed, and the combined company enters a market marked by weak consumer recovery and fierce competition on store shelves.
The signal: The $30 million contribution is modest by global standards — sitting in the bottom quartile of comparable deals — but it signals that Arcor and Danone intend to actively support their new dairy asset as they consolidate Argentina's fragmented dairy sector.
Read more: lanacion.com.ar
Image credit: mmechtley
