Chartwells Higher Education Acquires Fresh Ideas Food Management

Upper Crust Food Service Acquires College Fresh, Inc.

January 8, 2025

Food & Beverage

Upper Crust Food Service has acquired College Fresh, Inc., combining two leading contract food service providers that serve fraternities, sororities and camps across the United States. The combined business will operate across 45 states and more than 100 college campuses, leveraging 2,000+ food service professionals; financial terms were not disclosed. Adam Guy will lead the combined company as CEO and Jack Dawson (former College Fresh President) has joined as President and shareholder.

Whitsons Culinary Group Acquires Fresh Picks Café, LLC

February 26, 2024

Restaurants & Hospitality

Whitsons Culinary Group, a portfolio company of GenNx360 Capital Partners, has acquired Fresh Picks Café LLC, a Manchester, New Hampshire-based provider of outsourced food service management to more than 50 K-12 schools and summer camp locations. The acquisition expands Whitsons' presence in the New England market; Fresh Picks' regional leadership team will remain in place as part of Whitsons.

Upper Crust Food Service Acquires Campus Cooks

January 10, 2024

Restaurants & Hospitality

Upper Crust Food Service, LLC has acquired Campus Cooks, LLC, combining two leading providers of contract food service management for fraternity and sorority houses and summer camps. The combined company will serve over 550 accounts across 45 states and leverage more than 1,000 food service professionals to expand service capacity and strengthen market leadership in the Greek and camp food service segment.

Compass Group Acquires CH&CO from Equistone

January 22, 2024

Restaurants & Hospitality

Compass Group PLC has agreed to acquire CH&CO, a UK & Ireland premium contract catering and hospitality services provider, for an initial enterprise value of £475 million plus an earn-out. The transaction, subject to regulatory approval, buys CH&CO from private equity owner Equistone and expands Compass's capabilities and footprint in the UK and Ireland; CH&CO generates c. £450m revenue and employs over 10,000 people.

Red Arts Capital Acquires Freshway Foods from US Foods

March 13, 2025

Food & Beverage

Chicago-based private equity firm Red Arts Capital has acquired Freshway Foods, a fresh-cut processing, repacking and logistics provider operating in the eastern United States, from US Foods. Red Arts said it will provide strategic, financial and organizational support while Freshway's current president, Devon Beer, will remain in place to continue the company's operations and growth.

Copley Equity Partners Makes Minority Investment in Upper Crust Food Service

June 28, 2023

Restaurants & Hospitality

Copley Equity Partners has made a significant minority investment in Upper Crust Food Service, a Columbia, Missouri–based contract food service provider focused on sorority and fraternity houses and summer camps. Terms were not disclosed; the capital will support growth following Upper Crust's recent merger with College Chefs and its service footprint of more than 400 locations.