STAMFORD Conn. Centerplate Inc., the contract foodservice provider specializing in sports and entertainment venues, is acquiring Boston Culinary Group, a competitor in the segment.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed in a statement last week. The deal is expected to close early next year.
Boston Culinary Group, like Centerplate, provides foodservice and facilities management to sports, convention and entertainment venues throughout North America. Upon completion of the merger Boston Culinary’s founder and chairman, Joe O'Donnell, will serve as chairman of the board for Centerplate.
After struggling financially for a number of years, the once publicly held Centerplate was acquired earlier this year for about $200 million by private equity firm Kohlberg & Company LLC. It currently is in the midst of a turnaround helmed by Des Hague, who replaced Janet Steinmayer as the company’s president and chief executive.
“When I joined the company to lead its resurgence, I knew that in addition to enhancing our core services, strategic mergers would play a key role in achieving our objective of becoming No. 1 in hospitality,” Hague said. “Through this exciting new partnership, we will elevate our core business to support our clients in building their brands and driving their total returns.”
Centerplate, in addition to its various sports and convention center accounts, is now making a push for the college and university market. It serves as hospitality partner to 29 universities, including the universities of Florida, Alabama, Virginia Tech and Kansas State, as well as such Ivy League universities as Harvard and Yale.
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].
