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CSG Exclusive: Restaurant & Foodservice January 2018
Bought & Sold: A BIG Year for Restaurant Deals
January 2018 is almost history, so before we get too far deep into the calendar year, here’s a brief look at the 2017 deals that have set the table for 2018. Private equity (PE) shelled out for a majority of the acquisitions last year, but the three biggest restaurant deals were pulled off by (slightly) more traditional foodservice organizations – Popeye’s found a new home alongside Burger King and Tim Horton’s at Restaurant Brands International, Arby’s Restaurant Group took possession of Buffalo Wild Wings (thanks to parent Roark Capital) and JAB Holdings expanded its sandwich, bagel and coffee empire when it scooped up Panera, along with Au Bon Pain and Bruegger’s.
By our calculations, private equity capital played the deciding factor in 60% of the acquisitions of restaurants with 100 or more locations in 2017. And there’s really no sign that the PE spending spree is coming to an end. Combine that fact with the number of large to mid-sized companies and concepts struggling and perhaps ripe for the picking, 2018 may be another busy year.
When change happens, Chain Store Guide keeps you informed. Our Restaurant Franchisee Premier Database is updated on a daily basis. In the last 4 weeks alone, we’ve updated 1,042 company records, with many of the companies updated at multiple points.