October 18, 2018
Willkie advised HK Food in the transaction.
HK Food GmbH, a subsidiary of Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, reached an agreement to sell German seafood brand Nordsee Holding GmbH to Kharis Capital via KC North Sea, an investment vehicle managed by Kharis.
Nordsee is one of the largest players in the European quick service restaurant sector and the leading fish & seafood brand. Founded in 1896, it has a network of 350 restaurants mainly in Germany and Austria. Kharis Capital is a family-backed investor in the consumer market, with a dedicated focus on the QSR sector. It currently controls close to 550 restaurants across three brands (Burger King, Quick and O’Tacos) and five key countries (Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg, France and Poland).
HK Food GmbH, founded in 1876 and based in Dusseldorf, Germany, is a holding company which through its subsidiaries produces and sells frozen and convenience foods. HK Food is a subsidiary of Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, a family-owned company operating internationally in the food sector with over 27,500 employees and annual sales of around €6 billion.
The Willkie deal team was led by partners Mario Schmidt and Georg Linde and included partner Jan Wilms, national partner Dr. Bettina Bokeloh, and associate Daniel Zakrzewski.
