Artal acquires majority stake in Mission Mars from BGF

Artal's investment holding Fynveur has acquired a majority stake in Mission Mars, which runs 44 sites across its Rudy's Napoletana and Albert's Schloss brands. The deal was completed on October 27 and was advised by Invus. The price was not disclosed.

The transaction marks the full exit of BGF, which first invested in Mission Mars in 2018. The group has around 1,800 employees and reported record group revenue and higher profits in its full-year results in June. Its existing management team, led by CEO Roy Ellis, will remain in post. Ellis said the company will look at strategic acquisitions to accelerate growth. The majority stake is supported by a debt facility from Santander, HSBC and NatWest, with Clearwater acting as debt adviser.