Caravelle

About The Fund

Caravelle is an investment firm based in Paris, France, founded by the Martel family in 1995. It is a diversified family group with over 30 years of experience in majority investments primarily in France. The firm aims to be a long-term, agile shareholder, investing its equity in supporting the development of French SMEs with revenues between €50M and €300M, both nationally and internationally. Caravelle has a consolidated workforce of approximately 2,700 employees. Originally built around the recovery of struggling businesses, which they successfully turned around, especially in pharmacy, industrial vehicle bodywork, mechanics, and IT sectors, Caravelle shifted its focus after selling its minority stake in Arcole Industries in 2014. From 2012 to 2017 under the guidance of Hélène Martel-Massignac and since 2017 under Lorne Martel's leadership, the company has been pursuing an investment strategy in profitable companies, expanding in various industries including services, tourism, and hospitality. Their portfolio includes industries such as pharmaceuticals, visual health, vehicle inspection, vacation clubs, and upscale hotels in France. Caravelle's notable investments span across several sectors and stages of companies, with significant involvement as both a majority and minority shareholder in various non-listed companies and previously participating in listed ones. Their investment capacity ranges with a minimum and maximum of €178,790,000, demonstrating a capability to undertake substantial single investments. Caravelle's current operations include Mayoly, a family-owned French pharmaceutical laboratory; Visionix, a leader in visual health technologies; Kestrel Vision, a leader in rigid packaging inspection; and Belambra, the leading vacation club market in France. They have a history of successful divestments, including Naturex, Cooper, Benalu, and several others, demonstrating a track record of value creation and successful exits. The team includes professionals from diverse backgrounds with expertise in sectors relevant to their investment strategy.