Private equity, leveraged buyouts, exit strategies, long-term value, food and nutrition industry, initial public offering (IPO), trade sale, secondary buyout, recapitalization, SPAC, performance comparison, SWOT analysis, industry specialization, market conditions, private equity sponsors, case studies, value creation, restructuring, empirical evidence.
Abstract
This paper reviews academic and industry literature on private equity (PE) exit strategies and their relationship with long-term value creation in the food and nutrition (F&N) sector. Using a structured literature-review methodology (peer-reviewed studies, working papers, SEC filings, and leading industry reports through 2021, with selective illustrative examples beyond 2021), the paper (a) defines common exit routes (IPO, trade sale, secondary buyout, recapitalization, and SPAC/other), (b) synthesizes empirical evidence on how exit choice relates to medium- and long-run firm performance, (c) compares exit outcomes using case evidence from the F&N sector, and (d) develops a SWOT analysis focused on exit strategy selection for PE-owned food firms. The literature shows that exit route choice is shaped by industry specialization, market conditions, and sponsor objectives; evidence on long-term value after exit is mixed and context dependent. The paper concludes with managerial implications for sponsors and suggestions for future empirical work.
Author Biography
Gurdeep Singh
Guest Lecturer, University of Delhi, Independent Researcher
