10th February 2009

Gaucho fastest – growing private equity backed restaurant

Argentinean steak chain Gaucho is the fastest- growing private equity-backed restaurant in the UK, according to research

The 2009 Sunday Times Deloitte Buyout Track 100 features private equity-backed companies with the fastest-growing profits measured over the latest two years of available figures.

Gaucho is placed 20th overall in the table, ahead of four other companies in the restaurant sector.

In December 2007, private equity firm Intermediate Capital Group backed the management buyout of Gaucho Group. Profits at the company have risen by an average of 71.28% a year over the last two years, to 8.8m in 2008.

Other high performing restaurants include chain Eat, Japanese chain Yo! Sushi, Cafe Rouge operator Tragus and noodle chain Wagamama.
Jon Herbert, head of structured debt origination at Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets, a co-sponsor of the Buyout Track 100, said ‘Despite the current economic outlook, there are companies in the restaurant sector which have solid business models and strong management teams capable of building on recent success’.