Announcement of Strategic Partnership with L Catterton

HUGE Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; President and CEO: Yoshihiro Shinkawa; hereinafter “HUGE”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement with L Catterton, the world’s largest consumer-focused private equity firm, regarding a strategic capital partnership. Through this partnership, L Catterton and HUGE’s existing management team will work closely together to further accelerate the company’s growth.

Leveraging the deep insights and expertise it has cultivated through extensive investments in the global foodservice industry, L Catterton will support HUGE in enhancing its corporate value and pursuing new growth opportunities. HUGE has built its strength on creating distinctive, community-rooted restaurants, and will continue to focus on accelerating domestic store expansion in order to deliver diverse dining experiences and services to a broader customer base. At the same time, the company will collaborate with L Catterton to realize its overseas expansion strategy.

Following the execution of this partnership, there will be no changes to HUGE’s management structure, and the existing management team will continue to be deeply involved in the company’s operations.

Yoshihiro Shinkawa, Founder and President & CEO of HUGE Co., Ltd., commented as follows:
“Since its founding, HUGE has operated under the belief of creating restaurants that become ‘assets of the community,’ developing a diverse portfolio of brands and delivering new dining experiences to customers both in Japan and abroad. We are extremely encouraged to welcome L Catterton—an investor with a world-class track record in the global foodservice industry—as our partner. We are confident that L Catterton’s global perspective and deep expertise will serve as a powerful driving force as we pursue further domestic expansion and take on the challenge of growing our business globally.”

Mr. Toshitaka Shimizu, Partner at L Catterton, commented as follows:
“HUGE has established a truly unique position in the Japanese foodservice market through its exceptional ability to develop original restaurant concepts that are not dependent on specific categories or trends, as well as its outstanding operational performance after store openings. In a foodservice market where demand for urban dining locations is expected to continue growing, the company’s strong brand portfolio and robust membership base present significant growth potential. We are delighted to support HUGE in accelerating its domestic expansion, realizing its overseas growth ambitions, and advancing its evolution into a global foodservice company by leveraging our global experience and network.”


[About HUGE Co., Ltd.]
Founded in 2005, HUGE Co., Ltd. is a hospitality company that operates premium casual dining concepts across a wide range of categories, including Spanish-Italian, Mexican, and modern Asian cuisine. The company operates 47 restaurants primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with many of its locations maintaining strong performance since their opening. HUGE also operates its official membership-based reservation platform, “THE HUGE CLUB,” which has more than 470,000 members and serves as a strong foundation for repeat customer engagement. HUGE’s mission is to enhance the value of cities through its restaurants.
For more information, please visit: www.huge.co.jp

[About L Catterton]
L Catterton is the world’s largest and most globally active consumer-focused investment firm, managing approximately USD 38 billion in assets across three platforms: private equity, credit, and real estate. The firm’s funds have the capital flexibility to invest between USD 5 million and USD 50 billion per transaction in well-positioned consumer businesses, regardless of capital structure. With more than 200 investment and operations professionals across 18 offices worldwide, L Catterton works closely with management teams of its portfolio companies to drive differentiated value creation through deep industry expertise, operational excellence, and an extensive global network. Since its founding in 1989, L Catterton has completed more than 300 investments, including some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands.
For more information about L Catterton, please visit:  www.lcatterton.com
 

[Media Contact]
Kekst CNC (Public Relations Agency for L Catterton), Attn: Katayama, Kamei
Phone: +81-80-4659-0677 / +81-70-3251-6044
Email： Lcatterton@kekstcnc.com