Anthem Asia invests in Myanmar’s Rangoon Tea House

Neither the size nor the structure of the investment is being disclosed. The firm typically makes commitments of $100,000 to $1.5 million in small and medium-sized enterprises.

According to a statement, the deal will support the creation of a broader flagship brand through the roll-out of new food products and additional unspecified business lines. It will also be applied to redeveloping RTH's first-floor area into a Myanmar-style cocktail bar by November.

"At Rangoon Tea House, we have pioneered a forward-thinking twist on traditional Myanmar dishes - the result is food that is modern yet familiar in equal measure," said Htet Myet Oo, RTH's co-owner. "Our goal is to offer a range of fabulous culinary experiences and highlight the wonderful, but often underappreciated, quality food products available in Myanmar."

Anthem describes RTH as an iconic lifestyle business that has won local awards as a "must-visit" destination in Yangoon's downtown heritage quarter. The company serves an all-day menu with a focus on local aesthetics and has been endorsed by international guidebooks including Lonely Planet.

Myanmar has been attracting increased PE interest in daily consumables as a result of recent governmental liberalizations. Recent examples of this momentum include TPG Capital's acquisition of a 50% stake in whiskey producer Myanmar Distillery Company.

Founded in 2012, Anthem focuses on urban consumer demand in Myanmar through business-to-customer and business-to-business investments. It closed its first deal in 2013 by committing around $1 million to office rental company Hintha Business Centers. More recent investments include the acquisition of significant minority positions in mobile data collection company Xavey and marketing agency Blink.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Southeast Asia
• Consumer
• Early-stage
• Myanmar
• Anthem Asia
• Growth capital