Brookwood Associates | Au Bon Pain

Transactions List Case Studies A World of Tile Access Diabetic Supply Aerial Access Equipment AirWorx Alabama Farmer's Cooperative Ali, SpA Allied Foods, Inc. Ampac/Printmasters Amsco Applejam, Inc. Au Bon Pain - 2005 Au Bon Pain - 2007 Barnhill's Buffet bd's Mongolian Grill Bob's Candies Bucks County Coffee Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Carlton-Bates Carolina Family Restaurant Associates CEM Core Systems Cozymel's Crispaire EaglePicher Electro-Optic Materials EaglePicher Scientific Products Elana/Doncaster Entertainment Resource, Inc. Filet of Chicken Florida Apple, LLC Franklin Power Products, Inc Food Holdings, Inc. Golden Casting Corporation Grillco (Wendy’s) Habit Restaurants, Inc. Harriet & Henderson Yarns, Inc. Harvey's Supermarkets Horizon Medical Hospitalists of America, LLC Insource Insteel Industries, Inc. J&J Jen-Coat JTECH Communications, Inc. KenPak KirTac, Inc. Koning Enterprises Leeann Chin Magnet Communications Marina Medical National Electronic Attachment, Inc. Nestor Sales Ozark Restaurants, Inc. Paradise Bakery and Café PMC Brake Division PSI Pike Electric Radiotherapy Centers of Georgia Ryan’s Family Steakhouse Smart Papers Sooner Trailer Source Technologies, Inc. Southern Anesthesia & Surgical, Inc. Southern Mills Stag-Parkway Stag-Parkway Sumter Builders Swift Spinning The New Release Therapy Management Services, Inc. Thompson Industrial Services Titan Financial Group Tune Up Clinic Utilities Construction Company Vectorply Vickers Virginia Drilling Company, Inc. Wheeler's Wheaton Industries Wellstone Mills Zoes Kitchen News

Au Bon Pain

Au Bon Pain is a fast casual restaurant concept with 120 company-owned cafés and 100 franchised cafés that serve freshly baked breads, signature sandwiches, pre-made and tossed salads, over 30 soup varieties and café beverages.

Engagement Goals

The management team of Au Bon Pain sought funds to finance the recapitalization of the company which was 100% owned by Compass Group PLC, a contract foodservice provider.

Engagement Process and Outcomes

Recent Challenges - Au Bon Pain faced the challenges of a recently-departed CEO, an unproven suburban prototype and requirements from Compass Group PLC to retain the company-owned airport locations. Brookwood helped present the complicated story in a clear fashion to potential investors.

Excellent Process Management - To fully explore all options, Brookwood managed a marketing process that included senior debt, mezzanine debt and equity capital providers.

Result - Management received attractive offers from senior and junior capital investors, and Brookwood was instrumental in determining the best structure and negotiating the best terms for management. The transaction allowed management to obtain a majority equity interest in the new company, plus a compatible financing partner for the future.

Au Bon Pain – advised management and raised the capital associated with the management buyout of this 226 unit fast-casual concept