Esprit Barbecue has restructured its shareholding
03/12/2019
Esprit Barbecue Founder Executes OBO to Finance Future Growth
Founded in 2010 by Benoît Motte and Antoine Kotwica, Esprit Barbecue has built a warm and convivial brand universe centered around the pleasure of cooking and gathering, offering high-quality barbecues, planchas, smokers, and fire pits.
The company distributes its products through two main channels: its physical store located in Marquette-lez-Lille (Northern France) and its e-commerce platform, Esprit-barbecue.fr.
Experiencing continuous growth since inception, Esprit Barbecue is set to further expand its business, notably by increasing its range of private-label products as early as next year.
As part of a strategic move, Antoine Kotwica, co-founder of the company, has acquired the shares held by his former associate. He also took this opportunity to raise growth capital, securing the financial means to continue developing both the retail store and the online business.
"Septentrion Finance advised me on a dual project involving both a share buyout and a capital raise. The success of this transaction, under a tight timeline, was made possible thanks to the team’s sector expertise and professionalism. Their close guidance and the quality of the preparatory work allowed us to move quickly with our financial partners. Their support during this pivotal moment in my entrepreneurial journey was invaluable." — Antoine Kotwica, CEO and Co-Founder of Esprit Barbecue
Septentrion Finance, a specialist in M&A and corporate finance advisory, supported the CEO throughout the entire transaction, encompassing both the buyout and the growth financing.
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Buy-side advisors:
- M&A: Septentrion Finance (Thibaut Bouchoir, Rudy Sebbah),
- Legal: Cabinet Malle Titran François (Julien François),
- Financiers (banks): Crédit Agricole (Olivia Parisis) et BPI France (Marie-Pierre Dekeister, Vincent Dansette).