NEW YORK, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Robinson Crusoe, the Chilean salmon producer and processor and AquaChile, a leading player in the local salmon industry, have announced a strategic alliance in which Robinson Crusoe has sold a 60% equity stake to AquaChile. This transaction retains Robinson Crusoe's independence and identity while creating synergies via the exchange of both companies' strengths. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As part of the transaction, Robinson Crusoe will continue to be managed by its founding shareholders and will retain the license of the Robinson Crusoe brand name for salmon products.

Rabobank International's Chile and New York offices acted as exclusive financial advisor to Robinson Crusoe in forging this alliance. This is Rabobank's second advisory assignment for Robinson Crusoe, having advised the company in 2004 during the successful majority sale of its canned seafood division to Spain's Jealsa Rianxeira.

Robinson Crusoe is a Chilean salmon producer and processor specializing in high value added formats. The company farms and processes quality salmon which is marketed primarily in the United States and Japan under the recognized Robinson Crusoe brand name.

AquaChile is one of the world's leading salmon producers and processors, and distributes its products to customers throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

"This alliance significantly advances the strategic objectives of both Robinson Crusoe and AquaChile by allowing each company to focus on its respective area of expertise," said Ignacio Kleiman, Executive Director with Rabobank International's M&A Group in New York. "AquaChile diversifies its position in the salmon business through this alliance with Robinson Crusoe, which operates in a niche that complements AquaChile's operations. Robinson Crusoe, in turn, retains the power and leverage of its value-added product quality recognition, and also unlocks a tremendous source of new capital to grow its operations to their true potential."

"This agreement is clearly a win-win for both companies," said Fernando Araya, Head of Corporate Finance for Rabobank International in Chile. "Robinson Crusoe maintains its management team and strong identity while benefiting from AquaChile's leading market position and market clout."

Rabobank is the premier financial institution to the global food and agribusiness industry, and a leading advisor on specialized transactions undertaken by clients in the Latin American agri-industrial sector. Rabobank has a well-established track record in the seafood industry, having advised on the acquisition on Bumble Bee by Center Partners, and the recent acquisition of Ocean Garden Products, Inc. by a consortium of leading Mexican shrimp producers in the US.

Rabobank International is a global financial services leader providing institutional and retail banking and agricultural finance solutions in key markets around the world. From its century-old roots as a Dutch financial cooperative, Rabobank has grown into the 25th largest bank worldwide, with over $600 billion in total assets and operations in 38 countries. Rabobank is the only private bank in the world to be awarded the highest credit ratings from both Standard & Poor's (AAA) and Moody's (Aaa), and is ranked as the world's third safest bank by Global Finance magazine. From its offices in Santiago, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and New York, Rabobank provides a full suite of specialized financial services -- corporate banking, trade finance, corporate finance, and investment banking -- for clients in the food, beverage and agribusiness industries in Latin America and around the world. Rabobank International

Web site: http://www.rabobank.com/