The fall of the Iron Curtain and the resultant transition of the countries of the former Soviet Union toward a free-market economy presented historic investment opportunities and the Burlington Capital Group (formerly America First Companies) was in a unique position to take advantage of those opportunities. In 1995, the company formed Agribusiness Partners International, L.P. (API), a $100 million private investment fund organized with credit support and a guarantee from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), an agency of the United States government. API is managed by Agribusiness Management Company, LLC.
API was fully invested in agribusiness/food processing companies in Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The companies included producers of cheese and dairy products, a sparkling wine bottler, a packaging and labeling company and a glass bottle manufacturer. The Fund's biggest investment was in the largest poultry production company in Russia - Chicken Kingdom.
The Burlington Capital Group believes that there are continuing
investment
opportunities in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe as well
as in other emerging markets and is currently seeking those opportunities.
