Home Database Retail & ConsumerCôte Restaurants

07/2015100%LBO

Côte Restaurants acquired by BC Partners

UNITED KINGDOM Hospitality & Leisure / Hospitality / Restaurants / Chains EV £300–700M

Context

BC Partners has acquired a majority stake in Côte Restaurants from its previous owners in a transaction that transitions the company into its next phase of national expansion. The deal involves the existing senior management team, led by Alex Scrimgeour, Harald Samuelsson, and Paul Aitchison, retaining a significant minority shareholding to ensure leadership continuity. The strategic rationale for the acquisition centers on backing a highly successful, proven restaurant format to continue its aggressive roll-out across the UK (67 restaurants at the date of the operation). Furthermore, BC Partners intends to utilize Côte as a foundational platform for potential consolidation in the restaurant industry, including the acquisition or development of adjacent dining concepts. This deal highlights the strong institutional appetite for "value-driven" premium casual dining brands that demonstrate resilient unit economics and high scalability. Following the acquisition, Côte will benefit from BC Partners' deep capital reserves and expertise in scaling European consumer businesses, aiming to elevate the brand from a 67-site chain to a dominant national hospitality group.

In the past, Côte Restaurants was acquired by Cbpe Capital in 2013 as part of its expansion strategy.

Côte Restaurants, which reported an EBITDA margin of [members only] in 2015, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of 10x–18x.

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Target

Côte Restaurants is a high-growth UK-based dining chain inspired by the modern bistros of Paris. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in London, the company specializes in offering a "value-for-money" French dining experience, characterized by simple, freshly prepared classic dishes such as steak frites, moules marinières, and corn-fed chicken. The business model centers on an "all-day" service offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a modern, informal, and friendly bistro setting. Since its launch, the firm has scaled rapidly to have numerous locations through a disciplined roll-out strategy focused on high-quality seasonal ingredients and consistent service standards. Côte's value proposition is built on providing an upscale dining atmosphere at attractive price points, appealing to a broad demographic of casual diners and families. Its technical operational strength lies in a centralized management team capable of maintaining culinary consistency across a growing national footprint. As a leading player in the UK's "bistro-style" casual dining segment, the company serves as a scalable platform for further geographic expansion and potential multi-concept development within the hospitality sector.

Ent. Value

£300–700M

Equity Value

[members only]

Multiples

EV / Revenue

1x–3x

EV / EBITDA

10x–18x

EV / EBIT

15x–25x

Historical Financials (GBP)

Year

Rev

EBITDA

EBIT

2015

2014

Other operations with Côte Restaurants

Other operations with Côte Restaurants
Date	Acquirer	Target	Country	Sector
09/2013	CBPE CAPITAL	CÔTE RESTAURANTS	UNITED KINGDOM	Restaurants / Chains

Other operations with BC Partners

Other operations with BC Partners
Date	Acquirer	Target	Country	Sector
06/2018	BC PARTNERS	FORNO D’ASOLO	ITALY	Bakery / Pastry
10/2017	BC PARTNERS	CERAMTEC	GERMANY	Glass & Ceramics
05/2017	BC PARTNERS	DENTALPRO	ITALY	Dental Centers
07/2016	BC PARTNERS / PSP INVESTMENTS	KETER	ISRAEL	Home & DIY
11/2015	BC PARTNERS	CIGIERRE	ITALY	Restaurants / Chains
06/2015	BC PARTNERS	PHARMATHEN	GREECE	CDMO
12/2014	BC PARTNERS / CDPQ - CAISSE DE DEPOT ET PLACEMENT DU QUEBEC	PETSMART	UNITED STATES	Pet Care
06/2013	BC PARTNERS	ANTELLIQ	FRANCE	Animal Health
08/2012	BC PARTNERS	AENOVA GROUP	GERMANY	CDMO
09/2005	BC PARTNERS	FITNESS FIRST	UNITED KINGDOM	Hospitality

Similar deals in Hospitality & Leisure

Similar deals in Hospitality & Leisure
Date	Acquirer	Target	Country	Sector
11/2015	BC PARTNERS	CIGIERRE	ITALY	Restaurants / Chains
09/2015	ICG	COURTEPAILLE	FRANCE	Restaurants / Chains
07/2015	STIRLING SQUARE CAPITAL	SIBLU VILLAGES	FRANCE	Hotels & Accommodation
05/2015	PERMIRA	VACANCESELECT	FRANCE	Hotels & Accommodation
12/2014	BRIDGEPOINT	AZZURRI GROUP	UNITED KINGDOM	Restaurants / Chains
11/2014	TPG	PREZZO	UNITED KINGDOM	Restaurants / Chains
10/2014	INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP	HYATT RESIDENTIAL GROUP	UNITED STATES	Hotels & Accommodation
07/2014	GOLDEN GATE CAPITAL	RED LOBSTER SEAFOOD	UNITED STATES	Restaurants / Chains
06/2014	THE CARLYLE GROUP	HOMAIR VACANCES	FRANCE	Hotels & Accommodation
06/2014	THE CARLYLE GROUP	EUROPEAN CAMPING GROUP (ECG)	FRANCE	Hotels & Accommodation

REFERENCES

Valuation range: EV £300–700M

Revenue range: £100–200M

EBITDA range: £10–30M

EV/Revenue range: 1x - 3x

EV/EBITDA range: 10x - 18x

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of Côte Restaurants by BC Partners are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.

Target: côte restaurants

FAQ

What transaction does this page cover?

This page covers BC Partners’s acquisition of 100% of Côte Restaurants, a British company specialised in Hospitality, in 2015, structured as a leveraged buyout (LBO). This followed an earlier holding cycle initiated in September 2013, when the company was acquired by Cbpe Capital.

How was the acquisition of Côte Restaurants by BC Partners valued, and what multiples were paid?

mynth displays the transaction’s enterprise value within the £300–700M band, its EV/EBITDA multiple within the 10x - 18x range, and its EV/revenue multiple within the 1x - 3x range. Exact figures are available to members.

What were Côte Restaurants’s revenue and EBITDA at the time of the deal?

At the time of the transaction, Côte Restaurants generated annual revenue estimated in the £100–200M range and EBITDA in the £10–30M bracket (FY 2015). Detailed financial figures are available to members.

What sources support the information on this transaction?

Transaction intelligence is supported by independent reporting from specialized financial publications, alongside a private document shared by the community and verified by the mynth team to ensure the accuracy of the shared information.

What is mynth?

mynth is the first free M&A database dedicated to Small & Mid-Cap transactions. We centralize Enterprise Values, revenue multiples, EBITDA multiples and transaction financials that are typically locked behind five-figure subscriptions on platforms like Capital IQ or Mergermarket. On mynth, searching and browsing deals is completely free. Our mission is simple: make professional-grade valuation intelligence accessible to every M&A advisor, independent consultant, Private Equity professional and student, without the burden of expensive annual licenses.