Consumer
Abraaj exits Thai restaurant chain Hot Pot after IPO
The Abraaj Group has exited restaurant chain Hot Pot after taking the company public on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in September. Hot Pot sold 101.9 million shares at THB2.80 apiece, raising THB285.3 million ($9.3 million), in an offering that was...
Golden Gate invests in three Singapore e-commerce firms
Golden Gate Ventures, a Southeast Asia-focused early stage technology seed fund, has added three Singapore-based e-commerce businesses to its portfolio: TradeGecko, RedMart and Coda Payments.
Riverside-owned Retail Zoo completes Australia bolt-on
Retail Zoo, an Australia-based restaurant chain backed by The Riverside Company, has completed the bolt-on acquisition of Cibo Espresso, a franchiser of espresso bars in South Australia and Queensland.
Billabong receives $555m buyout offer - UPDATE
Billabong International has received a A$527 million ($555 million) buyout offer from Paul Naude, a director at the firm, with US-based Sycamore Partners participating as a cornerstone equity investor.
TPG-backed Li Ning warns of loss for 2012
Li Ning, the Chinese sportswear retail group backed by Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and TPG Capital, will record a substantial net loss for the year based on its preliminary review for the 11 months ended November.
Actis exits hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu to General Atlantic
Actis has exited Chinese hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu to General Atlantic after an investment period of four years.
China wine funds: Sour grapes?
Wealthy Chinese may recognize wine’s investment potential, but inexperience, taxation issues and limited access to top-tier vineyards means many domestic wine funds often promise more than they can deliver
Headland offers toymaker succession solution
Big eyed and rosy cheeked, Kong Suni the potty-training baby doll is the must-have toy in South Korea this year. Her ability to eat, fill her diaper and pass wind has attracted headlines both home and abroad. The doll is a creation of South Korean firm...
PE-backed Chinese consortium to buy AIG’s aircraft leasing business
A Chinese consortium including a fund run by Wing-fai Ng, one of the co-founders of now-defunct Primus Financial Holdings, has agreed to buy up to 90% of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) from American International Group (AIG). It is the...
Singapore travel website gets seed funding from TNF, SingTel Innov8
Singapore-based online travel booking site Flocations has raised $570,000 seed funding round led by TNF Ventures and including SingTel Innov8, the corporate venture arm of SingTel – and angel investor Ben Ball.
Piramal’s IndiaVenture Adviors to raise $185m fund
IndiaVenture Advisors, the PE arm of Indian pharmaceuticals company Piramal Enterprises, plans to raise a fund of up to INR10 billion ($185 million) that will target healthcare and education.
Headland completes $55m buyout of South Korea’s YoungToys
Headland Capital Partners has a acquired a 96.5% stake in South Korean toy manufacturer YoungToys for KRW60 billion ($55 million). It is the 10th investment from Headland Private Equity Fund 6.
Premji buys stake in Heritage Foods, Kotak India exits
Kotak India Value Fund has exited the remainder of its stake in Indian retailer Heritage foods to Azim Premji, chairman of Indian IT multinational Wipro, who has bought a 4.7% stake in the company.
MSPEA in convenience store carve-out
HI-24 is every bit the orphan subsidiary. Last year the Chinese convenience store chain's parent company changed its name to China Financial Services Holdings (CFSH), confirming a strategic rethink already apparent from its acquisitive activity. Once...
Boyu invests in Hong Kong retailer Stelux
Boyu Capital has invested in Stelux Holdings through a subscription for HK$371 million ($47.8 million) of convertible bonds issued by the Hong Kong retailer. As part of the deal, CEO Joseph Wong said he planned to nominate Boyu’s Mary Ma and Alex Wong...
IDFC PE’s Parag Milk Foods seeks to double capacity
Parag Milk Foods, the Indian dairy company that received a INR1.55 billion ($28.7 million) investment from IDFC Private Equity in September, plans to double its capacity by expanding existing production plants and setting up new facilities. It currently...
Lombard sells 10% stake in Thai department store chain
Lombard Investments has exited its 10% holding in Robinson Department Store, a mid-market retailer in Thailand, for approximately $219 million.
L Capital-backed PVR to buy Cinemax India
PVR, a cinema chain backed by L Capital, will pay INR5.43 billion ($99 million) for a majority stake in domestic rival Cinemax India.
Morgan Stanley in China convenience store carve-out
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) is on course to complete a carve-out of China Financial Services Holdings’ (CFSH) convenience store business, Hi-24.
Fosun gets 20% stake in Taiwan bakery store
Fosun has invested NT$360 million ($12.3 million) to acquire a 20% stake in Taiwan’s Vigor Kobo, a bakery chain that produces traditional cakes and pastries. The deal is said to represent the first Chinese conglomerate's first foray into Taiwan’s...
VC tackles China dining: Fast food, quicker expansion
Qiming Venture Partners decided to create a China casual dining chain from scratch in order to replicate an outsourcing model that has worked in other industries. Cloud 9 is now aggressively building out its network
Bain-baked Gome records $110m loss for first nine months
Bain Capital-backed Gome Electrical Appliances has reported a loss of RMB686.7 million ($110 million) for the first three quarters of 2012.
Ontario Teachers leads funding round for China’s 360Buy.com
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) has led a $300 million round of funding for 360Buy.com, China’s second-largest business-to-consumer e-commerce website by revenue.
Billabong director explores buyout options
Billabong shares spiked 17% during Monday morning trading in response to the Australian surfwear company announcing that one of its directors was looking at a possible leveraged buyout. TPG Capital and Bain Capital both submitted bids of A$694 million...