[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s largest private equity fund management company MBK Partners is negotiating taking over controlling stake of Akindo Sushiro from its largest shareholder Permira for a reported US$1.5 billion, according to Seoul Economic Daily on Oct. 4.

Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Nomura Holdings are lead counsels for the sale. 




Japan’s Akindo Sushiro is the world’s largest conveyor-belt sushi restaurant chain operator, with 135 billion yen (US$1.32 billion) revenue in fiscal year 2014, and has over 440 outlets worldwide. It entered South Korea in 2011 and has six outlets. 

Permira, the largest European private equity fund manager, acquired the Japanese chain for US$1 billion in 2012 from Japanese PEF Unison Capital.

By Hwang You-mee (glamazon@heraldcorp.com)