TUNISIA – INMA Holding, a private equity firm that chases small and medium-sized Tunisian businesses, has struck a deal with an investment of TAD5 million (US$1.7 million) in ABK Group.
ABK Group operates different restaurant formats with fast-food brand Plan B, launched in 2014 and managed as a franchised business.
The network now has 28 outlets across the country and has quickly gained the recognition of a growing public, thanks to the quality of its products and the distinction of its service.
ABK Group can provide the various outlets with all of their supplies, whether in food or non-food products, and manages logistics, branding and all administrative aspects on their behalf.
The investment will help the company develop Plan B’s network in Tunisia, its international expansion and the setting up of new fast-food networks.
It has launched two new brands, a ‘pasta bar’ concept called Terminal A, and a ‘food compositor’ concept called Combo.
Abdallah Khlif, general manager at ABK Group, said the funds will help the group not only to expand nationally but also to export its Tunisian know-how to the Maghreb region initially and to Europe in the medium term.
Fatma Merai, general manager at INMA Holding reiterated saying, “We are delighted to participate in the development of a group that combines youth dynamism and ambition.
“This investment is perfectly in line with” the PE firm’s strategy to help Tunisian SMEs with high potential develop and we are convinced that the Plan B Group will be able to achieve its growth objectives.”
INMA Holding was launched by financial advisory firm Mediterranean Corporate Finance (MCF). It focuses on investing in Tunisian SMEs.
Its shareholders include Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie, the Tunisian American Enterprise Fund, and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations.
The PE firm seeks to invest directly in equity, but also in quasi-equity and mezzanine debt of its portfolio companies in the north African country.
It looks to deploy a minimum of TND5 million (US$1.8 million) per investment with a possibility to co-invest with other institutions.
INMA Holding was set up with an initial corpus of TND50 million (US$17.5m). Its first investment was in the education company Laghmani Institute Group, in November 2018.
In January 2020, it committed around TND7 million (US$2.45m) to Gourmandise Group, a pastry maker that has more than two dozen outlets in the country.
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