Kroll’s Consumer Investment Banking Practice Advised Ideation Hospitality on the Sale of Its Amada and Village Whiskey Brands

On July 29, 2024, Ideation Hospitality completed the sale two of its restaurant brands, Amada and Village Whiskey, to SPB Hospitality, a portfolio company of Fortress Investments.

Kroll served as sell-side M&A advisor to Ideation Hospitality in connection with the transaction.

About Ideation Hospitality

Ballard Brands is a privately-held hospitality and food service company formed by brothers Paul, Steven and Scott Ballard to deliver their New Orleans passion for eating, drinking and living to the world. Ballard Brands expanded its restaurant holdings in 2018 with the purchase of Garces Group of Philadelphia through 3BM1, LLC d/b/a Ideation Hospitality. Garces Group restaurants and catering companies were founded by Chef Jose Garces, an Iron Chef and James Beard Award winner.

About SPB Hospitality

SPB Hospitality is a leading operator and franchisor of full-service dining restaurants, spanning a national footprint of hundreds of restaurants and breweries in 37 states. The Company’s diverse portfolio of restaurant brands includes Krystal Restaurants LLC, Logan’s Roadhouse, Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, and a collection of high-end restaurant brands including J. Alexander’s and Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill. SPB Hospitality is also one of the largest operators of craft brewery restaurants in the country, including Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, ChopHouse & Brewery, Ragtime Tavern Seafood & Grill, and Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery.

About Fortress Investment Group LLC

Fortress Investment Group LLC is a leading, highly diversified global investment manager. Founded in 1998, Fortress manages $49 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2024, on behalf of over 2,000 institutional clients and private investors worldwide across a range of credit and real estate, private equity, and permanent capital investment strategies.