maconda supports AG Capital in its investment in CD-LUX, a leading provider of high-quality edible promotional products
maconda-News April 2025
maconda once again demonstrates its niche market expertise in the food and confectionery industry. The Cologne-based consultancy has supported the Austrian SME investor AG Capital with a thorough commercial due diligence in preparation for its investment in CD-LUX. The company is a leading provider of climate-neutral, edible promotional products made in Germany. The experienced consultants at maconda assessed CD-LUX's current positioning and perspectives in the market for corporate promotional products.
The Bavaria-based company CD-LUX designs and manufactures promotional products with more than 60 permanent employees currently focussing on Advent calendars as promotional gifts for business partners. To capture this specialised niche market, with little availability of data, a comprehensive commercial due diligence with a nuanced view of the seasonal business and its drivers was required. maconda combined both qualitative and quantitative information using its proven approach, leading to a nuanced understanding of the value chain and its unique characteristics.
Key success factors: CD-LUX offers the largest range of promotional Advent calendars on the market, is almost exclusively stocked with branded products, and focuses on sustainable packaging and high-quality finishing. This is complemented by a good price-performance ratio and excellent customer service. “Overall, we see significant growth opportunities for CD-LUX. We wish everyone involved much success in their future endeavours,” concludes Rainer Mayer.
About CD-LUX
CD-LUX was founded in 1997 by Johann Dirscherl, father of the current managing partners Alexander and Dennis Dirscherl, and is a leading supplier of climate-neutral promotional confectionery products made in Germany. Customers are primarily retailers of promotional products and agencies as well as direct orders from companies that advertise. CD-LUX offers customisable products, most of which are filled with branded chocolate. Additionally, sustainable materials are increasingly used, such as cardboard, paper fibres, grass paper and recycled coffee cup paper. The product range includes Advent and Christmas calendars, Easter, and spring calendars, as well as year-round products.
About AG Capital
AG Capital is an independent, long-term orientated private equity investor based in Vienna. As a partner for medium-sized companies, AG Capital provides buy-out and growth capital and supports its portfolio companies in achieving sustainable and profitable growth. AG Capital was founded in 2021 by a team centred around the two managing directors Karl Lankmayr and Daniel Jennewein as well as C-Quadrat Investment AG.
maconda expands expertise in food and niche markets
The maconda team has carried out countless projects related to CD-LUX’s business, including chocolate products, confectionery, seasonal items, individualised consumer goods, promotional items, and printing technology (including digital printing for small batch sizes). This makes maconda one of the most experienced consultants in this sector. This applies to all stages of the value chain from raw material and packaging production to product development, branding, and marketing via all relevant sales channels, including specialist retailers, service agencies, B2B generalists and B2C online platforms. maconda has supported numerous commercial due diligences, projects for strategic realignment, business model optimisation, as well as operational performance improvements.
Extensive industry experience: confectionery, chocolate, snacks | (individualised) promotional items | consumer goods | contract manufacturing & contract filling | brands and private labels | packaging | recycling| and much more
About maconda
For more than 20 years, maconda has been providing support for company takeovers, performance optimisation and restructuring. With over 800 consulting and implementation projects and more than 450 transaction-related mandates, maconda has extensive experience in providing pragmatic support for even the most challenging projects. Its clients include medium-sized companies, divisions of large companies as well as international private equity investors and family offices.
maconda sector expertise: consumer goods | FMCGs | food | retail & ecommerce | packaging | B2C services | B2B services (incl. business process outsourcing) | future technologies & software | mechanical engineering | manufacturing companies | construction industry | and much more
maconda core topics: Transaction consulting | Business model development | Performance management