Equistone takes majority stake in Gaucho Holdings

Equistone Partners Europe is pleased to announce the acquisition of a majority stake in Gaucho Holdings, a restaurant group operating two brands, Gaucho and CAU, offering customers an authentic Argentinian dining experience. The buyout is Equistone’s 6th investment from its Fund V.

Gaucho offers fine dining with an emphasis on authentic, high quality, Argentinian steaks and an extensive wine list. It has 14 restaurants in the UK and three international restaurants, one in each of Buenos Aires, Dubai and Hong Kong.

CAU focuses on cuisine from Buenos Aires and is consistently highly rated by customers for the quality of the food and the overall dining experience.  It has grown rapidly since its launch in 2010 and currently has 16 outlets across the UK as well as one in Amsterdam.

The group has a passion for the finest Argentinian produce and carefully sources the highest quality Argentinian grass -fed beef and a wide range of unique Argentinian wines.

Equistone acquired its stake in the business from ICG, which invested in the business in 2007. Equistone will work closely with Gaucho Holdings’ senior management in expanding the footprint of both Gaucho and CAU in the UK and internationally.

Dominic Geer and Joyce Church from Equistone will join the board of the group.

Commenting, Zeev Godik, CEO of Gaucho Holdings said: “We’re delighted to welcome Equistone to the business and look forward to working with them closely as we execute our ambitious growth strategy. Their investment will provide us with the firepower and expertise necessary to expand our restaurant footprint whilst continuing to deliver an outstanding dining experience for our customers.

Joyce Church, Partner at Equistone said: “The group is a fantastic addition to the Equistone portfolio and cements our position as one of the leading investors in the UK’s thriving consumer sector. The business’s commitment to delivering outstanding customer service coupled with its clearly defined proposition ensures it is well placed to continue gaining market share in an exciting marketplace.”