INVISION VII, a fund advised by Invision AG, is acquiring a majority stake in KADI AG, the leading Swiss manufacturer of premium frozen products, in particular French fries and potato specialities, effective 1 September 2026. The seller is IDAK Food Group, which will going forward focus on the manufacture of high-quality baked goods, comprising the two complementary categories Bakery & Patisserie and Pizza & Pizza Snacks. LGT Capital Partners and SAGA Private Equity are participating as co-investors; the management team led by CEO Yvonne Richard remains on board unchanged and is also investing in the company. Christof Lehmann, former CEO of KADI AG and former Group CEO of IDAK Food Group, will become Chairman of the Board of Directors of KADI.
Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Langenthal, KADI AG is the recognized Swiss specialist for French fries, potato specialities and snacks. Around 190 employees produce some 270 products, which are used every day in more than 12,000 restaurants across Switzerland and are also sold through Swiss retail. With its strong innovative capability, high product quality and long-standing customer relationships, KADI holds its own as an independent supplier in the Swiss food industry. For 30 years, KADI has also hosted the «Goldener Koch», the most prestigious culinary competition in Switzerland.
Return to a proven partner
Invision and KADI share a long-standing and successful partnership: from 2018 to 2024, KADI was already part of Invision’s portfolio and made a substantial contribution to building up and growing IDAK Food Group during that period. Now that IDAK is focusing on the manufacture of high-quality baked goods, comprising the Bakery & Patisserie and Pizza & Pizza Snacks categories, as part of its strategic realignment, KADI is taking the next step as a standalone company – together with Invision.
Marco Martelli, Partner at Invision: «KADI is an outstanding company with a strong market position, great innovative capability and a first-class team. We know and value KADI from our earlier partnership and are delighted to write the next chapter of this success story together with the management team.»
Focus on continuity and growth – organic and through M&A
The course that has been set will be consistently pursued: CEO Yvonne Richard and the entire management team remain in their roles and are investing in the company. Together, they intend to further advance product innovation, expand the snack range and develop additional growth areas. With Christof Lehmann, a proven industry expert is also taking over as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In addition to organic growth, Invision and KADI aim to build a group of food brands. Targeted acquisitions of complementary food companies and brands are planned; Christof Lehmann will support this process in particular through his network in the industry.
Christof Lehmann, incoming Chairman of the Board of Directors of KADI: «KADI holds a unique position in the Swiss market and has significant development potential. As Chairman of the Board of Directors, I look forward to supporting the company and Yvonne Richard’s team through the next growth phase and to contributing my experience.»
About Invision
Since its foundation in 1997, Invision has developed into one of the leading mid-market private equity firms, focusing on companies in the DACH region and the Benelux countries. Invision has invested more than EUR 1 billion in over 80 companies and targets sustainable growth driven by internationalization, the introduction of new products and services, the digitalization of business processes and selective add-on acquisitions. Invision sees itself as an entrepreneurial partner to founders and management teams. In its investments, Invision places particular emphasis on understanding the individual needs of entrepreneurs and developing tailor-made solutions in order to address these in the best possible way.
Further information can be found under www.invision.ch.
About KADI
KADI produces chilled and frozen products and is headquartered in Langenthal. It is the recognized specialist for French fries, potato specialities and snacks. The company produces around 270 products, which are used every day in more than 12,000 restaurants across Switzerland. With its strong innovative capability and high product quality, KADI holds its own as an independent company in the food industry. For 30 years, KADI has hosted the «Goldener Koch», the most prestigious culinary competition in Switzerland. The company was founded in 1951 as a potato flake factory. In 2025, KADI employed around 190 people and generated revenue of more than CHF 90 million.
For more information, visit www.kadi.ch.
For questions or further information, please contact:
Marco Martelli, Partner, martelli@invision.ch
Raphael Uster, Associate Director, uster@invision.ch
