The orthodox tycoon will acquire control in the 'Carmel Winery'

Binyamin Yosselson's name may not mean anything to many surfers, but we are talking about an orthodox millionaire, one of the wealthiest in Israel, who purchased the Carmel Winery for the value of 140 million shekels.


According to the report this morning (Sunday) in the 'mamon' supplement of Yedioth Ahronoth, the investment fund 'Kidma' where Yosselson was a prominent investor, will be the new owner of the winery.


In a vote held last week at the board of the winery, Kidma was selected as a preferred preceded acquisition, and overtook David Fuhrer, the baby food importer, Similac, and the Neopharm Company for import drugs. The fund won five votes out of seven. A minority of voting representatives opposed the move of selling the investment fund, for fear of future exit.

The deal has not yet been signed, and should be signed in the coming weeks - if objections do not emerge, according to estimation of the company value of NIS 140 million shekels. Control of the winery was offered for sale by the Winegrowers Association, including one hundred and eighty members scattered between the stock and the Jewish Agency, which owns 12.5% of the shares. The purchaser will hold 35% of the shares, and will have control of the country's largest winery.

The winery was built at the beginning of the century by Baron Rothschild, to provide employment for pioneer settlers in Rishon Lezion and Zichron Yaakov. The original structures in both communities were declared conservation structures, and on the land in Rishon Lezion a residential neighborhood is supposed to be established next to the ancient winery building.

Binyamin Yosselson is 44th in the list of the 500 richest people in Israel of Forbes, with a fortune estimated at $400 million. He and his brother Michael, held until 1998 9% of the elite shares, but they sold it to the Strauss family for 40 million shekels. The names of the two were mixed up in different economic transactions. The Fund acquired the Carmel Winery, established in 2006, and is a partner in Marina mushrooms Galilee, considered the largest distributor and marketer of mushrooms largest frozen vegetables for restaurants and institutions.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!