Acquisition of GIOCHOTEL SRL

ECF GROUP announces the acquisition of GIOCHOTEL SRL, the Italian distributor of tableware and furniture, located in Belluno (Veneto) and created in 1998. This operation strengthens the presence of ECF Group in the country and particularly in the Italian Alps. GIOCHOTEL brand will be integrated into GRUPPO CHS, which will reinforce its position of first national and omnichannel distributor for Foodservice professionals in Italy. To consolidate Giochotel's high service quality to professionals in the Veneto region, all existing infrastructures in the area will be maintained.

The new Restofair store in Riyadh, which opened in January 2024, completes the network of the Restofair International brand, the leading specialised distribution platform for hospitality and catering professionals, a subsidiary of ECF Group, with a strong presence in the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Oman, as well as the Seychelles and the Maldives. The first Restofair Saudi Arabia store is located on King Abdullah District, Makkah Al Mukarramah Road Avenue, in the capital's hypercentre. The store and showroom, covering an area of 1600 m² on two floors, boast a unique, varied and extensive range of equipment for the hospitality and catering trade. Almost all of ECF Group’s suppliers across the world support this development in Saudi Arabia. 

The operation will materialize through the acquisition of Giochotel Srl by Gruppo CHS (Catering & Hotel Supplier), the subsidiary of ECF Group in Italy acquired in 2019. The commercial integration of Giochotel within CHS will take place in 2024. The new group will have a head office near Milan, four logistics sites, 7 showrooms to support the sales forces and an e-commerce site to develop a real omnichannel growth strategy. All the Giochotel existing infrastructures will be maintained.

ECF Group would particularly like to pay tribute and thank Giochotel founder, Mr. Giocondo Nart, who has devoted all his energy to the company over the past 25 years. Matteo Nart and Alessia Nart will remain in the Group. Common values of entrepreneurship and professionalism shared by the Group and Nart family are a key success factor for the future.

This acquisition is the first in the PAI Partners era, when PAI Partners, preeminent private equity fund in Europe, became ECF Group's majority shareholder last October, after Naxicap Partners. With this first acquisition, 3 months after its inception, the new LBO builds on the momentum of the previous one, during which the Group acquired nearly 30 companies.

Bertrand Ferraton, CEO of ECF Europe-Middle East-Africa & India, explains :

«This new acquisition is the fourth one of CHS in Italy in 4 years. It shows the ability of CHS to be the consolidation platform in the country. CHS offers now a very wide range of products dedicated to the Hospitality Industry addressing all the Horeca customers, Quick Service Restaurants, Care, and Outdoor Hospitality through a multichannel strategy».

Carlo SCALABRINI, CEO of ECF Italy & Managing Director of Gruppo CHS, adds :

«We are delighted to welcome Giochotel  and the team in the CHS group. This acquisition strengthens CHS in the north of Italy and in the HORECA Industry. Thanks to the experience of Matteo and his team on complementary products such as outdoor furniture, we will be able to offer an additional advantage to our Ho.re.ca customers».