Expansion lifts full-year sales at Wagamama January 14, 2014 WAGAMAMA, the Japanese-inspired noodle chain, said yesterday that sales jumped 13.5 per cent last year as the company ramped up its expansion plans in the UK. The private equity-owned group posted sales of £141.2m in the year to 28 April compared with £124.4m the previous year, driven by 14 new restaurant openings. Pre-tax profits edged [...]
A City pro is out to save pensions September 29, 2013 Venture capitalist Edi Truell is injecting private equity thinking to the public sector. Michael Bow hears why. THE HIGH-OCTANE arena of venture capital is not a natural fit for the sedate world of town hall pensions. But just tell that to Edi Truell, the venture capitalist tasked with shaking up London’s £4.6bn public sector pension [...]
Celebrate Chinese new year in real style February 5, 2013 1. HKK HKK is the ultimate destination for Chinese aficionados. The restaurant, which is one of the most recent openings of the Hakkasan group, is already gaining a reputation for offering some of the best Chinese food in the City. Michelin-starred chef Tong Chee Hwee has created an impressive eight- and 15-course banqueting menu that’s [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING August 1, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Nationalising RBS on the table Senior government figures are discussing the possibility of fully nationalising Royal Bank of Scotland amid mounting frustration at banks’ failure to lend to British businesses. Cabinet ministers are having conversations about whether to spend around £5bn buying up the 18 per cent of the bank the government does [...]
Duke Street shelves plan for €850m fundraising February 1, 2012 THE PRIVATE equity house behind Japanese restaurant chain Wagamama and payments network Payzone has pulled a €850m (£706.5m) fundraising as global market turmoil shows little sign of easing. Duke Street now wants to raise cash for every one or two deals it carries out, although it is set to receive payments to cover operational costs [...]
M&A to dine out next year December 11, 2011 BRITAIN’S restaurants and bars sector is expected to enjoy a resurgence in mergers and acquisitions next year, thanks to a pick-up in private equity demand, a report by the accountancy firm BDO has revealed. While sales across the industry are predicted to remain subdued, top high street chains such as Yo! Sushi, Pizza Express and [...]
WAGAMAMA SNAPPED UP March 24, 2011 JAPANESE noodle bar chain Wagamama was yesterday gobbled up by private equity firm Duke Street for £215m, sources told City A.M. Seller Lion Capital had owned the chain since 2005, more than doubling its UK presence. Hutton Collins and lenders GE Capital, Lloyds and Investec provided additional capital to fund the deal.
WAGAMAMA SNAPPED UP March 24, 2011 JAPANESE noodle bar chain Wagamama was yesterday gobbled up by private equity firm Duke Street for £215m, sources told City A.M. Seller Lion Capital had owned the chain since 2005, more than doubling its UK presence. Hutton Collins and lenders GE Capital, Lloyds and Investec provided additional capital to fund the deal.
Northern Foods fight over March 9, 2011 BOPARAN’S takeover of Northern Foods was all but sealed yesterday, as rival Greencore walked away from making a counter bid. Ranjit Singh Boparan, who gatecrashed Greencore’s planned merger with Northern last November, bought Northern shares in the open market yesterday while the share price lingered below his 73p offer price, taking the chicken producer’s share [...]
Japanese food chain Wagamama to be sold for more than £200m March 8, 2011 JAPANESE noodle chain Wagamama is expected to be sold to private equity firm Duke Street Capital within the next two weeks, in a deal worth over £200m. The chain’s current owner, Lion Capital, is currently in talks with the firm with a view to striking a deal. Lion had looked to sell Wagamama earlier last [...]