Gail's backer plots rare move with bid for steak chain Flat Iron
Sky News has learnt that McWin Capital Partners, which specialises in investments across the "food ecosystem", has teamed up with TriSpan, another private equity investor, to buy a large stake in Flat Iron.
Restaurant industry sources said McWin would probably take the largest economic interest in Flat Iron if the deal completes.
They added that the two buyers were in exclusive discussions, with a deal possible in approximately a month's time.
The valuation attached to Flat Iron was unclear on Sunday.
Flat Iron launched in 2012 in London's Shoreditch and now has roughly 20 sites open.
The chain is solidly profitable, with its latest accounts showing underlying profits of £5.7m in the year to the end of August.
It already has private equity backing in the form of Piper, a leading investor in consumer brands, which injected £10m into the business in 2017.
Flat Iron was founded by Charlie Carroll, who retains an interest in it, but the company is now run by former Byron restaurant boss Tom Byng.
Houlihan Lokey, the investment bank, has been advising Flat Iron on the process.
McWin has reportedly been in talks to take full control of Gail's while TriSpan's portfolio has included restaurant operators such as the Vietnamese chain Pho and Rosa's, a Thai food chain.
A spokesman for McWin declined to comment.
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