DLA Piper advises YO! Sushi owner on sale to Zensho Holdings

DLA Piper has advised the Snowfox Group, the owner of several high profile food brands, including YO! Sushi in the UK, Bento in Canada, and Snowfox in the US, on its sale to Zensho Holdings in a transaction worth USD621 million. As a result of the sale Mayfair Equity Partners will fully exit its investment in Snowfox.

Snowfox Group is a leading international, multi-channel Japanese food business. It reaches customers across multiple routes to market, selling over 90 million trays of fresh sushi a year.

The Zensho Group has 10,151 retail locations trading through 130 companies with an aim to become the world’s No.1 food company from Japan.

Completion of the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions.

An international DLA Piper team spanning its UK, US, and Canada offices advised the Snowfox Group on the sale and was led by Manchester-based Corporate partner Yunus Maka. He was supported by partners David Smith (UK, Tax), Matt Duncombe (UK, IPT), and Ruth Williamson (UK, Real Estate), David Richardson (US, Corporate) Paolo Morante (US, Lit&Reg), and Rachel Hamilton (Canada, Corporate). They were supported by senior associate James Sampson (UK, Corporate), associates Isabelle Leonard (UK, Corporate), and Aino Miles (UK, FPR).