Luminii provides CDD to Guinness on their investment into Sessions

07 Jan 2022 /

Luminii are delighted to have provided commercial due diligence (CDD) support to Guinness Asset Management (“Guinness”) on their investment into Sessions.

Sessions, which operates a successful chef-led food hall on Brighton's seafront, has secured $10m (£7.4m) Series-A funding from a syndicate of investors led by Guinness Asset Management, to fund expansion. It provides chef partners with both physical and virtual spaces to market and sell their brands, and positions itself as a platform to aid the growth of Britain's independent food scene.

The business works with food brands such as Lost Boys Chicken, SoBe Burger and Ox Block, which was set up by former Masterchef winner Kenny Tutt, and works with more than 50 kitchens around the country to produce food from the brands it counts as partners. 

Sessions founders include former Deliveroo executive Dan Warne and former Soho House finance chief Ian Banks, and they set up Sessions in 2019, opening its Brighton venue later that year. The Company is  also chaired by the leisure industry veteran Graham Turner, who previously led the restaurant operator Tragus Group, and bar and nightclub chain Novus Leisure.

The new capital will be used to expand Sessions' roster of chefs and open another two food halls this year. It also plans to launch an incubator called Sessions Studio which is "designed to pair aspiring founders with world-class culinary support".

"Luminii are delighted to have supported Guinness on this transaction, it has been an absolute pleasure supporting Guinness and Sessions' management team. This is yet another deal that helps to further strengthen our credentials in the consumer, retail & leisure and TMT sectors. We wish Guinness and Sessions' management team continued success for the future." - Lushani Kodituwakku, Managing Director, Luminii Consulting

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