We have advised Explorer Investments on its sale of Starfoods, a Portuguese-based healthy quick service restaurant (QSR) chain, to Oxy Capital, a Portuguese-based private equity firm and the owner of Bifanas de Vendas Novas, a traditional Portuguese food service chain.
Explorer Investments is a leading Portuguese private equity firm with more than 20 years of experience, over €1.7bn in investments under management, and three distinct business areas.
Starfoods is one of the leading healthy QSR groups in the Portuguese market, with over 25 years of experience. The company operates four distinct brand concepts: Companhia (a healthy fast-food concept), Loja das Sopas (soups), Selfish (traditional fish options), and Basilico (Italian options), across a network of 40 stores in shopping centres. The company is recognised for the freshness and healthiness of its products.
Oxy Capital is a private equity firm with a presence in Portugal and Italy. Through its Mercúrio Fund, Oxy aims to invest in companies with growth potential and/or sector consolidation opportunities.
Rui Guerra, the owner of Bifanas de Vendas Novas, is a successful entrepreneur in the QSR sector in Portugal. Since the inception of Bifanas de Vendas Novas in 2011, Rui Guerra has expanded the concept of Portuguese bifanas through two business models: franchising in stores and vintage vans.
With Rui Guerra and Oxy Capital as its new growth partners, Starfoods is expected to enter a new phase of growth and increase its market share in the coming years.
