Roses Are Blue takes over 50% share in the Fabiola Group from Lecter Media

Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany – 9 January 2023 – The production companyRoses Are Blue is taking over Lecter Media’s 50% shareholding in the Fabiola Group. The other 50% shareholding remains in the hands of Woestijnvis. Roses Are Blue, which already has an established international reputation, intends to strengthen the Flemish television market’s representation in the Netherlands and Germany via this participation.

The Fabiola group was established in 2017 by the production companies Lecter Media, De Mensen and Woestijnvis, with the intention of joining forces in the Dutch and German television markets in order to develop their own programs and produce and offer shareholders’ formats on an exclusive basis in these markets. In 2019 De Mensen left the JV and as a result Lecter Media and Woestijnvis became the sole two shareholders with a 50-50% participation. Well known titles released by Fabiola in the Netherlands and/or Germany include ‘Groeten Uit 19xx’, ‘De TV Kijker van het Jaar’, ‘De Mol’, ‘De Slimste Mens’ and the hit format in Germany and the Netherlands based on Homo Universalis: ‘99 Einer Schlägt Sie Alle!’ and ‘De Alleskunner’.

Today Roses Are Blue, which is part of the Caviar Group, announces the acquisition of ​ Lecter Media’s 50% shareholding, which means that the Fabiola Group will now continue as a joint venture between Woestijnvis and Roses Are Blue. The management remains in the hands of the local partners: Pieter van Eekelen for the Dutch entity (offices in Amsterdam) and Oliver Fuchs & Ina Eck for the German entity (offices in Cologne and Berlin).

“Flanders has built up an international reputation for its impressive television formats. We look forward to increasingly strengthening the representation of the Flemish television market in the Netherlands and Germany. From the outset our strategy was focused on moving our formats across our borders and then produce them in markets outside Flanders. We are pleased to announce, therefore, that we can now take our first steps in this direction via Fabiola in the Netherlands and Germany. It is particularly satisfying to supplement our organic growth with this international participation.” − Mathias Coppens, non-scripted representative within the Caviar Group.

“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved with our partnership over the course of five years. The fact that Roses Are Blue is now stepping in, with a strong catalogue, is a boost for Fabiola too. For Lecter Media this is a natural moment to exit and to sell our interest after a period of five years. We intend to fully focus again on the Belgian broadcasters and streamers, in Flanders and Wallonia − a market that is subject to constant change, providing us with many opportunities. We would like to thank Fabiola in the Netherlands and Germany and Woestijnvis for the excellent cooperation and wish them and Roses Are Blue every success in the Netherlands and Germany” − Guy Goedgezelschap, CEO Lecter Media

About Roses Are Blue

Roses Are Blue, which was established in 2017 as part of the Caviar Group, focuses on the development and production of its own television formats. Programs such as ‘Down the Road’ and ‘The Way Out’ (international title for ‘De Code van Coppens’) have already won several awards and established quite a reputation on the international scene.

The Caviar Group is well known for its international ambitions. In 2021 the company won two Oscars for the film ‘Sound of Metal’, and ‘Bad Sisters’, the international remake of the VTM series ‘Clan’, currently also receives high acclaim from the international press.

About Lecter Media

Lecter Media is an independent Belgian production company operating in all genres and for all broadcasters and streamers. Lecter Media produces both acquired and own formats developed in-house. Well known titles include Axel Gaat Binnen, Tiny House Battle, Donovan Magicien, True Crime Belgium, Loïc: Fou de Cuisine, Loïc: Tussen Twee Vuren, De Luizenmoeder, Wat Een Jaar, Jambers: Back to the Nineties, De Schaal van Pascale, In mijn Caravan, the daily fiction series Mijn Slechtste Beste Vriendin, the film Wil by Tim Mielants based on the best-seller by Jeroen Olyslaegers (release 2023) and its own international hit Groeten Uit.