Giraffe and GAIL’s investor backs Red Hot World Buffet

Private equity firm Risk Capital Partners has made a new commitment in the food and drink sector by backing Red Hot World Buffet.

The former chief executive of Frankie & Benny’s and La Tasca has been brought in as part of a deal which sees Risk Capital Partners acquire a majority stake in Red Hot World Buffet.

James Horler will be augmenting a business plan which is set to see the buffet restaurant group upgrade existing estate as well as open a new location in Leicester in 2014.

Founded by husband and wife team Parmjit and Helen Dhaliwal in 2004, Red Hot World Buffet has seven restaurants around the UK serving English, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Tex-Mex and Japanese dishes.

It currently has 600 people across its seven sites in cities such as Milton Keynes and Manchester, and has a latest reported turnover of £22 million.

Parmjit Dhaliwal, CEO of Red Hot World Buffet, comments, ‘Rick Capital’s investment solidifies our growth ambitions and provides the financial strategic support to help us capitalise our market offering.’

New backer Risk Capital Partners, which has made an undisclosed investment, recently sold its stake in restaurant chain Giraffe to supermarket giant Tesco having built it up from seven to 48 sites.

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Luke Johnson, founder of Risk Capital Partners and new chairman of Red Hot World Buffet, says that the investment firm has been talking to the Dhaliwal’s for three years.

‘We believe the buffet dining space to be one of the fastest growing segments of the UK’s restaurant market and that Red Hot offers great choice and value for money to its customers in these challenging times,’ he adds.

‘We are looking forward to working with the founders and the wider management team to help them in their ambitious growth plans.’

Hunter Ruthven

Hunter Ruthven

Hunter Ruthven graduated from the university of Sussex in geography and politics before joining Vitesse Media. He was the Editor for GrowthBusiness.co.uk from 2012 to 2014, before moving on to Caspian...

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