Venture Capital

Today’s news in brief – 29/01/25

The hospitality sector ended 2024 with virtually the same number of premises as 12 months earlier. According to data from CGA, there were a total of 99,120 outlets operating in December 2024 – up slightly from 99,113 sites a year earlier. It represents a year of solid consolidation after contraction…

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Boxpark appoints new chief financial officer

Hospitality and leisure group Boxpark has announced the appointment of Chris Burford as the group CFO to support and strengthen the operations and growth strategy of the business. With over 25 years’ experience working across private equity and venture capital backed enterprises in the hospitality, leisure, and retail sectors, new…

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JKS Restaurants sees FY turnover hit £73m

The operator of multiple F&B concepts across the UK and Middle East, JKS Restaurants, has reported a turnover of £73m for the 65-week period ended 31 March 2024.  The business, which is best known for Gymkhana, has also seen its losses before tax widen to £5.5m during the period from…

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Today’s news in brief – 30/01/24

Tortilla will be opening four new locations with SSP this year, with a further pipeline of sites to open as part of the franchise partnership in 2025. Currently, the SSP and Tortilla franchise partnership includes five sites across the UK, with the Manchester Piccadilly train station being the most recent…

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Farmer J to receive £5.5m funding to further growth

Farmer J has announced a £5.5m fundraise, led by Beringea, the transatlantic venture capital firm, to power further growth for the brand, with five new sites planned for 2024. Aptly described by owners as “forkin’ good food”, Farmer J provides build-your-own Fieldtrays with nutritious food sourced from high welfare, predominantly…

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Hackney Gelato secures £1.3m investment

Hackney Gelato has secured a £1.3m follow-on investment from venture capital trust Pembroke VCT to fuel global expansion. The new funding will support increased production, recruitment into the team and a consumer marketing drive. Hackney Gelato is also targeting an expansion into new international markets and further growth in the…

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Hostmore appoints new non-executive director

Hospitality group Hostmore has today announced the appointment of Célia Pronto as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect.  Pronto has over 25 years of experience in blue chip listed companies, private equity and venture capital backed start-ups and family-owned businesses. She has worked in subscription model businesses, as well…

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Foodomarket secures £9.5m Series A funding for UK expansion

Foodomarket, a digital B2B food marketplace for the hospitality industry, has raised £9.5 million in a Series A funding round to invest in its UK expansion. The round was led by Alven Capital, a leading European venture capital firm that has supported other successful marketplace businesses including Ankorstore, Meero, and…

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How to grow your F&B business – your finance options

Financing the growth of your business can be an intimidating area for any food business – concepts, jargon and risk combine to make this a challenging negotiation. There are two key types of funding – debt and equity. Each are different creatures from a legal and practical perspective. In this…

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Equity funding: Getting your F&B business investor ready

Private equity firms are continuing to invest heavily in the F&B sector as consumer passion for health and wellness helps fuel the drive. With competition high among investors, there’s an increasing appetite for earlier stage F&B businesses; the sector’s shift towards outsourcing has also helped to de-risk F&B business in…

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