Food and Beverage Investment Banking

M&A Investment Banking

FOCUS’s team of bankers with expertise in Food & Beverage, Restaurants, Hospitality, Nutrition and Supply Chain offers entrepreneurs creative resources for financial advisory, strategic direction setting and alternative solutions for the many problems now facing this industry.

From Food Manufacturing to Retail Restaurant operations, the pandemic has put demands on operators across the full spectrum of the industry.  The needs of Food and Beverage companies for access to the financial and operational expertise of service professionals has never been greater.

Whether it is for restructuring of assets, acquisition or divestiture of operations, or finding additional capital or partners for expansion, FOCUS has the experience and breadth of industry contacts and knowledge to support clients in these critical efforts.

For over 30 years FOCUS’ experienced team has supported clients in baking, processed foods, beverages and other specialty as well as traditional mainstream areas.

Food is increasingly an international business and FOCUS has significant presence in global M&A through its association with M&A Worldwide. Recent engagements with food producers in Europe have confirmed the interest of major international food companies to play a larger role in the US market.

Services

Our practice concentrates on providing investment banking services to middle market food industry clients including:

  • Sell-Side Engagements – to assist owners looking to exit or sell their business with the highest possible return
  • Buy-Side Engagements – helping clients grow their business through acquisition or expansion programs
  • Capital Formation – aiding companies in raising appropriate capital for growth, expansion or recapitalization.

Differentiators

  • Industry Expertise – With backgrounds that include C level operating experience as well as over 15 years of industry contacts and relationships with both strategic and financial players in the food industry, our bankers have a deep understanding of the forces at work that are shaping the industry.
  • Experienced Bankers – lead and execute every deal from start to finish giving our clients the advantage of continuity and experience as well advisory support.
  • Process-driven Outcomes – Supported by strong in-house research, our M&A process has a proven track record of over 130 closed deals in the last 10 years.

Learn More ‣ 

Experience

Over the past 30+ years members of the FOCUS Food & Beverage Group have worked with and advised companies in numerous sectors of the F&B Industry including:

  • Pasta Manufacturing
  • Sauces Makers
  • Artisan Bread Baking
  • Gourmet Teas
  • Pizza Manufacturing
  • Pita Bread and Bagel Manufacturing
  • Vegan Breads
  • Micro Breweries / Restaurant Chains
  • Hamburger Restaurant Chains
  • Pet Food Producers
  • Alternative Protein Based products
  • Beef, Pork, Veal Poultry Producer
  • Kombucha Manufacturer
  • Hard Cider Maker
  • Spirits
  • Sustainable Seafood
  • Organic, Natural and Healthy foods
  • Baby Food
  • Wineries
  • Ethnic foods
  • Dessert makers

See More ‣

News & Insights

Food & Beverage 1Q 2023 Report

The 1Q 2023 report explores current market trends and themes within the industry, including insights on deal activity, valuation multiples, and notable transactions.
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Building a Moat: Part II

In Part I of this series we talked about what it means to have a “moat” around a business – and what that looks like…

Team

Barry Calogero

Managing Director

Photo: Bill Battison

Bill Battison

Senior Advisor

Paul Dickson

Managing Director

Kate Elliott

Director of Research

Beth Johnson

Associate

Photo: Cyril Schlup

Cyril Schlup

Principal

Photo: Jim Sowers

Jim Sowers

Managing Director

Testimonials

Little Big Burger

WWW.LITTLEBIGBURGER.COM

Paul Dickson was instrumental in helping us sell our business. They located the perfect buyer for our business.

Evoke Winery

WWW.EVOKEWINERY.COM

Paul Dickson helped us get a handle on our finances, allowing us to better understand our numbers.

Premium Spirits Restaurant

WWW.MWLPDX.COM

Paul Dickson found us the right buyer on the right terms for sale of our company; then helped us close the sale.

Devocion Coffee

WWW.DEVOCION.COM

Paul Dickson was instrumental in helping us negotiate a restructuring of our organization, effectively allowing us the freedom to grow.

Life of Pie Pizza

Paul Dickson acted as a mentor to me as I was looking to grow my company. They also introduced me to the right accounting firm.

Wicked Good Cupcakes

WWW.WICKEDGOODCUPCAKES.COM

Worked with Paul on building a comprehensive financial model for our company to help us plan and strategize for future growth. He was very in depth and instrumental in helping us to develop our overall financial strategy.

* Testimonials may not be representative of the experience of all clients; testimonials are not a guarantee of future performance or success.