Secret Food Tours Seals Minority Stake Sale to Harwood Private Capital
Deal News | Apr 07, 2025 | Mishcon
Mishcon de Reya's Private Equity team has successfully advised the founders of Secret Food Tours, Nico Jacquart and Oliver Mernick-Levine, alongside Pembroke VCT in selling a minority stake to Harwood Private Capital. Established in 2013, Secret Food Tours, initially focused on pub crawls, expanded into culinary experiences and now covers more than 200 tours across 80 cities with 300,000 customers annually. It was recognized as one of Britain's fastest-growing private companies. Mishcon's team, spearheaded by Nadim Meer, provided a comprehensive advisory service including tax and employment experts to ensure a smooth transaction. The founders praised Mishcon for its market insight and unique approach during the sale process.
Sectors
- Food and Beverage
- Private Equity
- Legal Advisory
Geography
- United Kingdom – Secret Food Tours is recognized on The Sunday Times list of Britain's fastest-growing companies, indicating its strong presence in the UK.
- International – With tours in 80 cities globally, Secret Food Tours is a significant international player in the food tourism sector.
Industry
- Food and Beverage – This industry classification is relevant as Secret Food Tours operates within the international culinary and gastronomic tourism space.
- Private Equity – Harwood Private Capital's involvement indicates the participation of the private equity industry in the transaction.
- Legal Advisory – Mishcon de Reya provided legal advisory services in the transaction, making this industry relevant.
Financials
- 17.9 million – Sales revenue of Secret Food Tours in 2024.
- 300,000 – Expected number of customers for Secret Food Tours in the current year.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secret Food Tours | Target | Company | An international food tour business founded in 2013, offering culinary experiences in 80 cities. |
| Harwood Private Capital | Bidding Company | Company | A private equity firm acquiring a minority stake in Secret Food Tours. |
| Pembroke VCT | Selling Company | Company | A venture capital trust involved in the sale of its stake in Secret Food Tours. |
| Mishcon de Reya | Legal Advisor | Company | The law firm that advised Secret Food Tours and Pembroke VCT on the transaction. |
| Nico Jacquart | Founder | Person | Co-founder of Secret Food Tours. |
| Oliver Mernick-Levine | Founder | Person | Co-founder of Secret Food Tours. |
| Nadim Meer | Lead Legal Advisor | Person | Led the Mishcon de Reya team advising on the transaction. |