European Capital Portfolio Company Marco Polo Foods Acquires 51% Stake of Wakame Foods

St. Peter Port, Guernsey (ots/PRNewswire) -

European Capital SA SICAR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of European
Capital Limited (LSE: ECAS) ("European Capital"), announced today
that its portfolio company Marco Polo Foods, the leading producer in
the European commercial sushi market, has acquired a 51 percent stake
of Wakame Foods, one of the largest fresh sushi manufacturers and
distributors in Germany. The financing is being provided by a pool of
existing senior lenders for Marco Polo led by Fortis.

"We expect Marco Polo, one of our high-performing portfolio
companies, to solidify a leading position in the European retail
sushi market," said Jean Eichenlaub, Senior Vice President of
European Capital Financial Services. "The acquisition of Wakame adds
fresh sushi to Marco Polo's product offering and also secures its
position in Germany, the third largest sushi market in Europe."

European Capital has invested over euro 1.5 billion (US$2.3
billion) in the last twelve months and euro 18 million (US$26.5
million) year to date. European Capital has assisted in the refinance
or syndication of euro 358 million (US$528 million) of senior debt
for its portfolio companies in the last twelve months. For more
information about European Capital's portfolio, go to
http://www.EuropeanCapital.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html

"This acquisition will enable Marco Polo to utilize significant
industrial and business synergies, enhancing its leadership position
in both fresh and frozen sushi markets," said Guillaume Peroz,
Manager, European Capital Financial Services. "Marco Polo Foods'
outstanding management, led by Jean-Charles Halimi, has a track
record of successful strategic acquisitions and on-going organic
growth."

European Capital originally invested euro 29 million in the One
Stop Buyout(TM) of Marco Polo in November 2005. In June 2006,
European Capital syndicated an euro 11 million senior term loan and
euro 1.2 million in equity. Marco Polo was established in 1999 as the
first commercial producer of fresh and frozen sushi products to the
French and European retail markets. The Company's ISO certified
manufacturing facility is located approximately 200 kilometers south
of Paris in Contres, near Blois, France, where it operates from a top
quality controlled production site. The Company produces six million
pieces of sushi a month and has consistently grown sales and
earnings.

Founded in 2003, Wakame manufactures and distributes fresh sushi
to German food retailers and is one of the largest fresh sushi
players in Germany. Wakame operates a modern, newly-built 1,300
square meters production site located in Kerpen, near Koln, Germany.

"We are excited about the acquisition of Wakame," said
Jean-Charles Halimi, Marco Polo Founder and CEO. "We hope that Wakame
will benefit from our eight years of success and high operational and
financial standards and are looking forward to developing the company
with its highly experienced manager, Christian Kraft. This
acquisition marks the start of what we hope to be a robust European
expansion."

"Wakame's integration with Marco Polo will further help to
strengthen our leading position in Germany, Benelux, Switzerland and
Austria," said Christian Kraft, CEO of Wakame. "Top quality products,
high processing and hygienic standards and customer service are
important to both our Company and our customers."

ABOUT EUROPEAN CAPITAL

European Capital is a publicly traded investment company for
pan-European equity, mezzanine and senior debt investments with
capital resources of approximately euro 2.3 billion (US$3.3 billion).
It is managed by European Capital Financial Services (Guernsey)
Limited ("ECFSG" or "the Investment Manager"), a wholly-owned
affiliate of American Capital Strategies, Ltd ("American Capital").

European Capital invests in and sponsors management and employee
buyouts, invests in private equity buyouts and provides capital
directly to private and public companies headquartered predominantly
in Europe. European Capital generally invests between euro 5 million
and euro 500 million per transaction in equity, mezzanine debt and
senior debt to fund growth, acquisitions and recapitalisations.

The investment objective of European Capital is to provide
investors with dividend income and the potential for share value
appreciation by investing in debt and equity investments in private
and public companies headquartered primarily in Europe. European
Capital seeks to achieve this through pursuing the following types of
investments:

European Capital One Stop Buyouts(TM)

Through our One Stop Buyouts(TM), European Capital provides
equity, mezzanine debt and senior debt as the lead investor in the
buyout of private and public companies.

Mezzanine Direct with Sponsors

European Capital provides debt and equity financing for buyouts
sponsored by private equity firms where European Capital is either
the sole or lead mezzanine debt investor.

Syndicated Mezzanine and Senior Debt

European Capital provides mezzanine and senior financing for
buyouts sponsored by private equity firms where European Capital is
neither the sole nor lead mezzanine or senior debt investor.

Direct Investments

European Capital provides debt and equity financing directly to
private and public companies, which is used for growth, acquisitions
or recapitalisations, and investing in structured finance vehicles.

Companies interested in learning more about European Capital's
flexible financing should contact Jean Eichenlaub at
+33-(0)1-40-68-06-66 in Paris, Nathalie Faure Beaulieu or Simon
Henderson at +44-(0)20-7539-7000 in London, Robert von Finckenstein
at +49-(0)69-7171-2970 in Frankfurt, or Luis Felipe Castellanos at
+34-91-745-99-63 in Madrid, or visit the website at
http://www.EuropeanCapital.com

ABOUT AMERICAN CAPITAL

American Capital Strategies Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), with US$20
billion in capital resources assets under management(1), is an
affiliate of European Capital and a member of the S&P 500. It is the
largest U.S. publicly traded private equity firm and one of the
largest publicly traded alternative asset managers. American Capital,
both directly and through its global asset management business, is an
investor in management and employee buyouts, private equity buyouts,
and early stage and mature private and public companies. American
Capital provides senior debt, mezzanine debt and equity to fund
growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and securitizations. American
Capital and its affiliates invest from US$5 million to US$800 million
per company in North America and euro 5 million to euro 500 million
per company in Europe.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The
statements regarding expected results of European Capital and/or
American Capital are subject to various factors and uncertainties,
including the uncertainties associated with the timing of transaction
closings, changes in interest rates, availability of transactions,
changes in regional, national or international economic conditions,
or changes in the conditions of the industries in which European
Capital and/or American Capital has made investments.

(1) Capital resources under management is an estimate of internally and
externally managed assets and available capital resources as of
November 30, 2007 and does not include any fair value adjustments
subsequent to September 30, 2007.
Web site: http://www.EuropeanCapital.com
http://www.EuropeanCapital.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html

ots Originaltext: European Capital
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

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Jean Eichenlaub, Senior Vice President or Guillaume Peroz, Manager of
European Capital Financial Services, +33-0-1-40-68-06-66; or Marie
Bal, Communications Manager, +33-0-1-40-68-68-66, all of European
Capital Financial Services


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