New Report: Private Equity Invested $1 Trillion To Support And Modernize Popular Consumer Brands

Private equity has supported popular brands including Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Red Lobster, Dutch Bros, Supergoop! and Wella Company.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the American Investment Council (AIC) and PitchBook released a new report highlighting private equity’s role investing more than $1 trillion in the last 10 years to support beloved consumer brands. Private equity has partnered with more than 8,000 consumer brands, ranging from popular restaurant chains like Popeyes to beauty products like Supergoop. Private equity has provided large-scale investments to improve businesses by unlocking their value and setting them up for long-term success. These investments have allowed consumer companies to modernize, grow, and meet ever-changing consumer demands.

  • “Private equity investments play a critical role reviving brands struggling to meet changing consumer expectations while also infusing emerging brands with capital to elevate them to the next level,” said AIC President & CEO Drew Maloney“These investments crucially allow these brands and businesses to grow and hire more people.”

Investing in Popular Restaurant Chains – Over the past decade, private equity has invested more than $78 billion in 500 restaurant brands, help them expand to new cities and states. Some of the most recognizable restaurant brands have been supported by private equity over the past decade, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Red Lobster, Sonic, P.F. Chang’s, Benihana, and TGI Fridays. Private equity even contributed to the incredibly popular Popeyes chicken sandwich by helping the chain overhaul its menu.

Supporting Beauty Products – Paula’s Choice Skincare, founded in 1995, partnered with private equity in 2016 and has since grown to one of the biggest digital beauty brands worldwide. Beautycounter has also become an award-winning company that now leads the clean beauty movement thanks to support from private equity. Private equity has empowered both Wella Company and Supergoop! to expand their brand and innovate beyond their current product lines.

Read the full report here.