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Explore the history, strengths, growth, strategic changes, and challenges faced by Pro-Fac Cooperative, a multi-crop agricultural cooperative. Discover the recapitalization deal that transformed the company and its future prospects.
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Changing Business Structures Steve Wright General Manager & CEO Pro-Fac Cooperative
History • Pro-Fac Cooperative • 1961 - Present
Our beginnings... • 1961 - Western N.Y. growers formed partnership with local food processors • Cooperative named “Pro-Fac,” to symbolize producers and facilities • Agway played significant role in start-up • Company - Curtice-Burns - assured of supply • Grower/members assured of markets • 700+ growers in New York State joined by buying stock
Innovators from the start... • Members bought stock to join Co-op • Operated under detailed agreement between Co-op and processor partner • Separate responsibilities • Curtice Burns - processed and marketed products (Brand, Private Label, Food Service) • Pro-Fac – Supplied Raw Product • Owned Facilities • Profits and losses shared equally by series of agreements
Strengths & Benefits - Cooperative Structure • Cooperative form enabled multi-crop, single pool patronage proceeds distributions THUS, • Risk/reward sharing (20+ crops) removed impact of short-term single commodity profit swings and geographic issues • Capper-Volstead protection provided opportunities for marketing alliances and strategic partnerships with other Coops. • Tax Benefits - At patron level vs. corporate rate • Access to Farm Credit System - Favorable rate structure
Growth through expansion... • Company grew through acquisitions - expanding grower opportunities and regions • 1973 - corporation became public - listed first on NASDAQ, then AMEX • Grower needs began to compete with public stockholders • Acquisitions of regional companies continued through 70’s & 80’s
Strategic changes... • Restructuring began in 90’s • 1993 - Majority owner Agway decided to sell food businesses • Lengthy change-of-control battle began • Pro-Fac ultimately acquired Curtice-Burns to maintain members’ markets… took public company private (Coop.) • With acquisition came significant debt • Debt $328 million • Interest Expense $42 million
Consolidations... • Divisional consolidations • 1997 - Company name changed to “Agrilink Foods” • 1998 - acquired DFVC & Birds Eye brand - increased debt load • Debt $679 million • Interest Expense $83.5 million • Voila! successful national introduction • 1999 - Remaining operations combined under one company
The need for change within Pro-Fac and Agrilink • Highly leveraged • Inadequate resources to grow the business • Marketing • New products • Capital expenditures • Approaching deadline for refinancing
MergedInto Bank Consolidation American National Bank & Trust Hamilton Bank Bank of America JP Morgan Bank of Boston Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank of New England Maryland National Bank Bank One Mercantile Bank Bank South Meridian Bank Bankers Trust Montgomery Securities Barclays Business Credit Nations Bank Casco Northern Bank NBD Bank N.A. Central Fidelity Bank NCNB Chase Manhattan Bank New Jersey National Bank Chemical Bank Norstar Bank Citibank OFFITBANK Holdings Citizens and Southern Philadelphia National Bank Congress Financial Corp. Republic Security Financial Connecticut National Bank RIHT National Bank Continental Bank Salomon Smith Barney Corestates Bank Seattle-First National Bank Cresatar Security Pacific Deutsche Bank Shawmut Bank First Bank System Signet Banking Corporation First City BankCorporation Sovran Bank First Fidelity Bancorporation Star Bank First National Bank of Chicago Summit Bancorp First Pennsylvania Bank Texas Commerce Bank First Union Travelers Firstar Trust Company of Georgia Fleet Bank U.S. Bancorp Bank of America Bank One Citigroup Deutsche Bank FleetBoston J.P. Morgan SunTrust U.S. Bancorp Wachovia
Major Cooperatives in Trouble January 1999 - Agripac declared bankruptcy July 2000 - Tri-Valley declared bankruptcy May 2002 - Farmland Industries declared bankruptcy (largest coop in U.S.) May 2002 - Mason County Fruit Packers declared bankruptcy (Michigan fruit cooperative) September 2002 - Agway declared bankruptcy October 2002 - Spring Wheat Bakers closed (N.D. based coop)
Options Explored • Management and board explored alternatives • IPO • Sale of the company • Strategic investor • Synergistic partner (LLC) • Private equity infusion • Tough it out
Tough it out • Jeopardized • 100% CMV • future dividend payments • value of preferred investment • retention of key management talent
What was the deal? • A recapitalization that did the following • $175 mm capital infusion to reduce debt • Established Pro-Fac as a separate entity • Supply Agreement • 10 years with liquidated damages • Maintained the CMV process • Payment to Pro-Fac of $10 mm/year for 5 years (for terminating the previous supply agreement) • Transition Services Agreement (24 months) • Use of the Ag. Services staff • $1 million annual credit facility (5 years)
What has changed for Pro-Fac? Pre-VestarPost-Vestar Pro-Fac ownership of Birds Eye 100% 40% Pro-Fac Board Members 12 15 Member-owned delivery rights YES YES Annual marketing plan YES YES Payment of full CMV At Risk Less Risk Annual earnings distribution YES NO Preferred stock Dividends YES YES Member equity At Risk Less Risk/ Growth Potential
What was in it for Birds Eye Foods? • The opportunity to create more value for all stakeholders • new products • capital investment • marketing to enhance its brands • potential for acquisitions • attract and retain talent • enhancing the viable employment opportunity for our associates
Pro-Fac transformation hascommenced • Pro-Fac Board began the strategic planning process November, 2002 • Use “expert” reactor panel • Agriculture • Academia • Coop. structure/organization
Strategic Direction Maintain cooperative structure - • $10 million annual payment from Birds Eye Foods • Maintain membership base for supply agreement • Assure SEC and NASDAQ requirements are met (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) • Ownership in Birds Eye Holdings, LLC
Strategic Direction • Continue to strongly support current supply agreements • Establish and maintain a healthy capital structure • Develop new customers • Consider structures which would align the Cooperative with commodity or regional opportunities • Central management, admin., bargaining/negotiation, customer service • Commodity/Regional focus on business development, strategy and capital initiatives • Leverage Ag. Services Information System (ASIS) - (Traceability/Food Safety - Leading edge software)
Strategic Direction Post a Change of Control • Some members may want to cash out - Can with sufficient proceeds • Offer membership to only top producers (evaluations) • Capitalization • May vary with commodity/region • Some re-investment • Possibly base capital plan
Mission Statement “To be the acknowledged leader in supplying the food industry with dependable, superior quality, efficiently and safely produced fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products.”
Pro-Fac Geographic Breadth and Customers CAHOON FARMS
Results to Date - Birds Eye Foods (Dollars in Millions) 20022003 Net Sales $964.4 $878.3 Net Earnings $6.8 $20.8 Cash $14.7 $153.8 Interest Expense $63.0 $40.8 Debt $623.1 $459.9
Down the Road... “The Birds Eye business will be harvested someday” J.P. Morgan Advisor • Provide return to Vestar Capital Partners and their investors (State pension funds and University endowments) • Provide return to Pro-Fac Cooperative • Supply Agreement in new business structure • Consider equity redemption • Recapitalize the Cooperative • Investment - Business ventures • Growth - New customers, areas and members • Provide return to management investors
Pro-Fac Liquidation Valuesand Preference (1/04) LIQUIDATION VALUE SECURITY ($ Mils.) Qualified Retains $ 9.8 Preferred Stock $ 120.7 Common Stock $ 9.6 Special Membership Interests $ 21.7 Total $ 161.8 million
Hypothetical Pro-Fac Proceeds from its Investment in Birds Eye Foods Birds Eye EBITDA ($ Mils.) $130.0 Multiple 7.5 x Enterprise Value $975.0 Net Debt (175.0) Equity Value $800.0 Vestar Preferred ($137.5 mil. @ 15% PIK) (241.0) Common Equity Value $559.0 Pro-Fac Portion @ 37.80% * 211.3 Present Value of Termination Agreement Payment -0- Total Proceeds $211.3 million * Assumes management ownership grows from 3.04% to 10.0% NOTE: Vestar Common moves from 56.34% to 52.20% The following example illustrates one method for calculating what Pro-Fac might receive for its investment in Birds Eye Foods. The numbers used do not represent actual results of Birds Eye Foods for any past period or projected results of Birds Eye Foods for any future period. The numbers and method illustrated are not based upon any actual transaction under consideration
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