In a deal valued at $100 million (Canadian), Japanese restaurant group YO! Sushi has acquired Bento Sushi, a North American-sushi concept.
Bento, founded in Toronto in 1996 by Ken Valvur, operates more than 600 locations and supplies sushi to an additional 1,700 partner sites. As part of the deal, Bento’s Valvur, chairman, and Glenn Brown, CEO, will join the YO! board of directors and maintain an equity stake in the company.
YO! operates an international restaurant network that includes locations in Europe, the Middle East and Australia.
The acquisition of Bento comes after two transformational years for YO!, in which Mayfair Equity Partners bought into the business and Robin Rowland returned to the role of CEO.
