Hartree to Buy ED&F Man in Soft Commodities Trade Expansion (1)

US energy trading firm Hartree Partners LP agreed to buy the commodities business of ED&F Man, a storied UK trader of raw materials that traces its history back more than 240 years.

Hartree has already acquired the majority of ED&F Man’s outstanding debt and is expected to complete the rest of the transaction in 2025, subject to regulatory approvals, Hartree said Friday in a statement. The deal includes ED&F Man’s three business units that trade sugar, coffee and liquid products such as molasses.

The acquisition of one of the most historic names in commodity trading by a relative newcomer is ...