Value Partners Launches the Group's First Article 8 UCITS* ESG Fund

May 30, 2023 13:15 JST

Source: Value Partners Group Limited

Asia's First ESG-focused Food and Nutrition Thematic Fund
To Capture Opportunities from Sustainable Food and Nutrition Trends in Asia

HONG KONG, May 30, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - Value Partners Group Limited (together with its subsidiaries, "Value Partners" or "the Group", Hong Kong Stock Code: 806) announces the launch of the Asian Food and Nutrition Fund (the "Fund"), which is the Group's first Article 8, Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transformable Securities (UCITS) compliant equity fund. It also marks the first HKSFC-authorized(1) Asia ex-Japan-focused food and nutrition thematic ESG fund.

Through active selection and engagement of companies leveraging the Group's more than 30 years of regional equity research experience, the Fund seeks to address environmental, sustainability and safety challenges surrounding the food value-chain in Asia, while also delivering attractive long-term total returns for investors. The Fund invests across the entire food value-chain from farm to fork, and employs a bottom-up stock selection approach to identify quality companies in the universe that benefit from three structural trends: 1. growing demand on food and nutrition upgrade, 2. increasing application of food and agriculture technology that improves sustainability and safety and 3. Increasing food services penetration.

The Fund is managed by lead portfolio manager Norman Ho, Senior Investment Director, and co-managed with Lilian Cao, Investment Director. The Fund targets 30-50 high conviction holdings with strong financial fundamentals, and is driven by screening and exclusion of controversial sectors, alignment of respective United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), and proprietary ESG assessment framework and financial models.

June WONG, Chief Executive Officer at Value Partners Group, said, "ESG is an important pillar of our growth strategy given rising demand from clients globally to address major environmental and sustainability challenges. We are excited to be a pioneer in launching the first Article 8 UCITS-compliant Fund that seeks to address food and nutrition challenges in Asia. The launch of the Fund allows investors not only in Hong Kong, but also globally to benefit from these thematic opportunities. This is just our first step in our effort to build out a comprehensive suite of sustainable products to meet investors' ESG investment needs."

Frank Tsui, Managing Director and Head of ESG Investment at Value Partners Group, said, "The launch of the Fund marks a major milestone of Value Partner' ESG franchise to leverage our robust proprietary ESG rating system to enhance and promote ESG practices in the region. Our proprietary rating has achieved 100% portfolio coverage on listed securities, and the expansion into the food and nutrition universe should help us create more impact on companies in the space. The combination of rising focus on ESG-related issues in the food value chain and the increasing demand for food upgrade leads to many unique and exciting investment opportunities that the Fund aims to capture. "

To access the fund prospectus, please visit https://www.valuepartners-group.com/en/value-partners-asian-food-and-nutrition-fund (2).

Value Partners Asian Food and Nutrition Fund - key facts:

Open-ended Umbrella Investment Company: Value Partners Ireland Fund ICAV
Promoter and investment manager: Value Partners Hong Kong Limited
Depositary: HSBC Continental Europe
Legal status: Authorized by the Central Bank of Ireland as an Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) pursuant to the European Communities UCITS Regulations(3)
Investment strategy: The Fund aims to achieve long-term income and growth by investing primarily in the equity securities of companies engaged in or profit from any activity forming part of the food and beverage nutrition value chain based, or carrying out their business, in the Asia (ex-Japan) region which the Investment Manager believes contribute positively to ESG attributes along the value chain.
Launch date: 24-05-2023
Base currency: US dollar
Other currency class available: Hedged: AUD, RMB, SGD; Unhedged: HKD, USD
Minimum subscription: Class A: AUD 10,000; RMB 60,000; SGD 10,000; USD 10,000; HKD 80,000
Initial subscription fee: Up to 5% of the issue price
Investment manager fees: 1.5% per annum
Dealing frequency: Daily, 11.59am Irish time
Website(2) : https://www.valuepartners-group.com/en/value-partners-asian-food-and-nutrition-fund

(1) HKSFC authorization is not a recommendation or endorsement of a scheme nor does it guarantee the commercial merits of a scheme or its performance. It does not mean the scheme is suitable for all investors nor is it an endorsement of its suitability for any particular investor or class of investors.
* The Undertakings for the Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) is the European Commission's regulatory framework for managing and selling mutual funds. UCITS funds can be registered and sold in any country in the European Union using unified regulatory and investor protection requirements.
(2) The website has not been reviewed by the HKSFC.
(3) The Fund is a sub-fund of Value Partners Ireland Fund ICAV (the "Company"). The Company is both authorized and supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland ("Central Bank") as an undertaking for collective investment in transferable securities pursuant to the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations 2011. Authorization of the Company by the Central Bank shall not constitute a warranty as to the performance of the Company and the Central Bank shall not be liable or the performance or default of the Company. The authorization of the Company is not an endorsement or guarantee of the Company by the Central Bank.

About Value Partners Group Limited
Value Partners, one of Asia's leading independent asset management firms, seeks to offer world-class investment services and products. Since its establishment in 1993, the Company has been a dedicated, specialist value investor in Greater China and Asia. In November 2007, Value Partners Group became the first asset management firm to be listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock code: 806 HK). In addition to its Hong Kong headquarters, the firm operates in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and London. Value Partners' investment strategies cover equities, fixed income, multi-asset, alternatives, real estate and quantitative investment solutions, for institutional and individual clients in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States. Value Partners is one of the leaders in ESG investing in Greater China and is committed to developing its ESG capabilities further. For more information, please visit www.valuepartners-group.com.

Media Contact
Value Partners Group Limited
Alice Wong
alicewong@Value Partners.com.hk
+852 9142 5238

Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Isaac Yau
isaac.yau@citigatedewerogerson.com
+852 3103 0112

Investment involves risk. The advertisement has not been reviewed by the HKSFC. Issuer: Value Partners Hong Kong Limited

RISK DISCLOSURE
-- Value Partners Asian Food and Nutrition Fund (The "Fund") primarily invests in the equity securities of companies engaged in or profit from any activity forming part of the food and beverage nutrition value chain based, or carrying out their business, in the Asia (ex-Japan) region which the Investment Manager believes contribute positively to environmental, social and governance ("ESG") attributes along the value chain.
-- The Fund may subject to risks associated with ESG investing, including concentration and exclusion risks, subjective judgment in investment selection, etc..
-- The Fund invests in concentrated region/sector and subjects to higher level of risks than a fund having a more diverse portfolio of investments.
-- The Fund's equity portfolio may include small- and mid-cap companies. Investments in such companies may involve greater risks. The stock of such companies may also have lower liquidity and their prices are more volatile to adverse economic developments than those of larger capitalisation companies in general.
-- The Fund may also invest in derivatives and engage in securities financing transactions which can involve material risks, e.g. counterparty default risk, collateral reinvestment risk or liquidity risk, and may expose the Fund to significant losses.
-- In respect of the distribution classes for the Fund, the Investment Manager currently intends to make monthly dividend distribution. However, the distribution rate is not guaranteed. Distribution yield is not indicative of the return of the Fund. Distribution may be paid from capital of the Fund. Investors should note that where the payment of distributions are paid out of capital, this represents and amounts to a return or withdrawal of part of the amount you originally invested or capital gains attributable to that and may result in an immediate decrease of the net asset value per share of the Fund.
-- You should not make investment decision on the basis of this advertisement alone. Please read the prospectus for details and risk factors.

Source: Value Partners Group Limited
Sectors: Daily Finance, Funds & Equities