Restaurant investment and development group Full Course has used a $20 million fund to invest in two growing companies, NaanStop and Fripper’s Meats + Goods, the company announced Thursday. This is the first investment for the fund led by CEO Lauren Fernandez.
“Approximately two-thirds of all restaurants are a single location, and the owners don’t understand that scale is the key to financial success, nor do they understand how to get there,” Fernandez said in a release. “So much of our industry’s diversity is in these smaller brands. With our investment strategy, we can create opportunity for the people and brands that truly represent this country, give consumers more of the foods they want and provide generous returns for our investors.”
NaanStop and Fripper’s are both Atlanta-based brands. Full Course prioritizes brands with minority or female leadership, as it strives to create opportunities for the traditionally disempowered.
NaanStop is a three-unit fast-casual Indian concept with a product line.
Fripper’s is a specialty meat company. Owners Colin Miles and Brandon West offer a line of traditionally crafted artisanal meats.
Full Course also acts as a non-profit, educating the restaurateurs it funds. Full Course provides consulting and manages development, supporting original owners as they focus on running the day-to-day operations and leadership.
“Sharing the playbook for growth is simply not enough to level the playing field,” said Fernandez. “We have a deep respect for owners, we stand next to them in true partnership. To ensure they share in the benefit of that value creation, we do not take a majority share during the entire course of our investment.”
