Western Australia's three largest dairy producers are now under foreign ownership, after Brownes was sold to a consortium of investors that includes Chinese dairy operator Shanghai Ground Food.
Western Australian resources companies are increasingly looking to private equity players for funding as an alternative to traditional capital raisings, with more than $300 million in deals just this month.
PRIVATE equity group Archer Capital has emerged rapidly this year to become one of the largest investors in Western Australia, following its purchase of the company behind the Chicken Treat and Red Rooster fast food chains.
Private equity investors participated in some of the largest and most notable transactions in Western Australia in 2005, including the rescue of biotech company Chemeq and the acquisition of EG Green Group.
