YO!
Consumer
YO! is the UK’s leading fast-casual restaurant operator focusing on Japanese cuisine. It operates 75 owned restaurants in the UK, four owned restaurants in the US, and has 12 franchise sites in the Middle East and Europe. The business operates a highly differentiated proposition in a variety of location types with its unique ‘kaiten’ conveyor belt system and theatre-style kitchens. Since its inception in 1997, YO! has grown from being a niche concept into one of the leading restaurant brands in the UK with a rapidly expanding international footprint. In November 2017, YO! acquired Bento Sushi, a business founded in Toronto in 1996. Bento Sushi is the second largest sushi brand in North America, and the largest in Canada trading from over 540 locations, whilst suppling sushi to a further 1,600 partner sites. The business operates across a range of formats including quick service restaurants, on-site kiosks in supermarkets and other food service locations, and a number of production facilities which supply sushi to grocery clients across North America. In combination, these businesses create one of the largest multi-brand multi-channel sushi platforms outside of Japan.
Sales: c£175 million
Employees: c3,000
Investment Date: November 2015
Website: www.yosushi.com and www.bentosushi.com
Fox International
Consumer
Fox International is one of the leading providers of fishing tackle to the European coarse fishing market. The business is well established in the UK, Germany, Netherlands and France, and is executing successfully on an expansion strategy across a range of other European markets. The business has a strong brand and is appreciated by retailers and consumers alike for its product innovation and high levels of post-sales service.
Sales: c£30 million
Employees: c70
Investment Date: September 2015
Website: www.foxint.com
Ovo
TMT
Ovo is one of the UK’s leading independent suppliers of domestic energy. Founded in 2009, it competes as a fast growth challenger to the “Big Six” UK domestic energy suppliers. Technology leadership is central to Ovo’s service proposition, enabling it to provide its customers with high levels of service at a lower cost-to-serve versus many other suppliers. It also benefits from a strong and trusted brand.
Customers: c460,000
Employees: c900
Investment Date: April 2015
Website: www.ovoenergy.com
Tour Partner Group
Consumer
Tour Partner Group is a leading Destination Management Company that compiles multi-component package holidays for erudite groups and individual travellers. Specialising in the UK, Irish and Nordic markets, Tour Partner Group provides a turnkey solution for its partners, which are largely travel agents and tour operators across Europe, the United States and the Far East. Tour Partner Group is the holding company for Hotels & More, Irish Welcome Tours, Authentic Vacations and Trans Nordic Tours. Mayfair backed a management buyout of Hotels & More in October 2015, and during 2017 Tour Partner Group was formed as a holding company following the acquisitions of Irish Welcome Tours, Authentic Vacations and Trans Nordic Tours in Ireland, the United States and Denmark respectively.
Sales: c€100 million
Employees: c200
Investment Date: October 2015
Website: www.tourpartnergroup.com
Talon Outdoor
TMT
Talon Outdoor is the UK’s only fully independent Out-of-Home specialist media agency. Talon works with some of the World’s largest media agencies and advertisers with a proposition which is based on innovation and data-led insight. The business has grown rapidly in recent years achieving billings in excess of £230 million in 2016, up from £5m in 2012. The business was ranked third in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2015 and was ranked number one in the Sunday Times Best Small Companies to Work For in 2017.
Total billings: c£230m
Employees: c95
Investment Date: March 2017
Website: www.talonoutdoor.com
SuperAwesome
TMT
SuperAwesome is a digital marketing business whose technology platform enables brands and agencies to deliver kid-safe digital advertising to under-thirteen audiences. SuperAwesome’s platform is used by hundreds of brands and content owners globally to power compliant, kid-safe advertising, social engagement and parental verification. The business has been growing at over 100% per annum in recent years.
Employees: c.80
Investment Date: July 2017
Website: www.superawesome.tv
Promise Gluten Free
Consumer
Promise Gluten Free is an innovative gluten-free bakery. Its brands, Promise Gluten Free and PureBred, supply a number of products that are well-known for their superior taste and texture. These products are also widely-regarded as a healthier alternative to many competing gluten-free breads as they contain lower levels of fat and sugar, and are higher in fibre.
Based in Ireland, Promise’s products are available at some of the largest retailers across Ireland, the UK, US and Australia. The business has grown in the retail channel over the past few years and is now expanding rapidly into the foodservice channel. Promise has won a number of industry awards including multiple Great Taste Awards, Product of the Year in Canada and Australia, and Free From Foods Award (UK).
Sales: c€45m
Employees: c250
Investment Date: July 2017
Website: www.promiseglutenfree.com and www.purebred.co.uk
GCI Managed Services
TMT
GCI is one of the UK’s leading Converged ICT Service Providers, covering IT Support, Unified Communications, Cloud, Security & Compliance and Network & Infrastructure. GCI’s services and solutions are focused on influencing positive business outcomes. They are designed to address specific client challenges and support organisations looking to benefit from digital transformation. GCI provides a consultative service which is backed by more than 225 technical staff. Alongside its suite of end-to-end Converged ICT services, GCI also aspires to be synonymous with best-in-class Skype for Business solutions and contact centre solutions. GCI is ISO 9001, 14001, 20000 and 27001 certified, and has multiple Silver, Gold and Platinum certifications including 8 Gold certifications for Microsoft alone.
Total revenues: c£100m
Employees: c500
Investment Date: May 2018
Website: www.gcicom.net