Fusion & Acquisition

🏕 European Camping Group (ECG) to manage two campsites under Marvilla Parks brand in Messanges, Landes starting 2025: Lou Pignada*** (6.8 hectares, 411 pitches) and Domaine de la Marina** (3.4 hectares, 219 pitches). The partnership with RESASOL, based on a lease-management model, dates back to the 1980s and signifies a significant development in the Outdoor Hospitality sector. ECG aims to enhance these sites while maintaining their identity and environmental integration. ????

🛒 Franke Group acquired 100% of Nokite EcoSmart Water Heating Systems, a leading Chinese stainless steel kitchen faucets and accessories manufacturer. The acquisition, intended to boost Franke's smart kitchen solutions strategy and water treatment market presence, capitalizes on regulatory trends phasing out lead in faucets. Nokite, with over 20 years in the industry and approximately 150 employees, joins Franke Home Solutions. Previous owner KWC Group was majority-owned by funds advised by Equistone Partners Europe. Financial details undisclosed.

🏨 Hilton announced the first Signia by Hilton property in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, set to open in January 2025 in Amman, Jordan. Located in Shmeisani business district, the Signia by Hilton Amman will feature over 5,000 square meters of flexible meeting space, a convention center for up to 3,400 people, and 20 meeting rooms, catering to both business and leisure travelers, amidst 300+ Hilton establishments in development or marketed across 12 brands in MEA.

🏙 "Bloom Consulting conducted the study 'The impact of Nation and Place Brands on the Local and Global Economy' in collaboration with City Nation Place and scientific oversight from Pompeu Fabra University, Autònoma de Barcelona, and the University of Salamanca. It explores the economic repercussions of territorial branding on tourism, investment, and residency. The study involved over 100 countries and cities worldwide.

🍔 AG Real Estate France signed a 10-year commercial lease with Five Guys France on October 1, 2024, for a location at 13 Place de la République, Paris. The 640 m² restaurant marks the brand's 33rd establishment in France and its second flagship in Paris after the Champs-Elysées venue. The historic Haussmannian building, constructed in 1879, offers 2,400 m² of commercial space. The site was previously home to retailer Tati and was acquired by AG Real Estate France in 2011.

🏡 Accor's Handwritten Collection expands to Croatia with the Hôtel Continental in Rijeka, marking its first property there. The 135-year-old landmark will undergo renovation and rebranding for a mid-2026 opening as a 75-room hotel, blending history with modern design. Launched in 2023, Handwritten Collection has introduced 17 properties globally and plans 25 more soon, with over 150 in development, aiming for 250 boutique hotels by 2030. The expansion includes new properties like Classic Hotel Nicosia, Adorn Tirana, and MUZE Hotel Düsseldorf.

📢 Naboo, after a 300% growth in 12 months, acquired BizMeeting, a Venue Finding agency from Joy Group, to aim for leadership in BtoB events in France and Europe. The Joy Group now focuses on their SaaS, Joy.io. Naboo experienced a growth of 20% per month between April 2023 and April 2024, hired 50 new staff, and reached €3 million in monthly bookings. Naboo's growth is supported by a one-click reservation platform and partnerships with over 50,000 European providers. In February 2024, Naboo raised €7.5 million from ISAI, Kima Ventures, Better Angle, Cap Horn, and Ternel.

🏖️ The Swiss retail giant Migros is restructuring to focus on its core businesses and intends to sell its tourism branch, including Hotelplan and Interhome. German group HomeToGo is in non-exclusive talks to acquire Interhome Group, Hotelplan's subsidiary, which boasts 40,000 properties across 20 countries and reported a 2023 revenue of €415 million. HomeToGo is a leading vacation rental search engine with 15 million listings. The sale process for the Hotelplan group is advanced and has attracted significant interest.

🏁 Alphabet's subsidiary, Waymo, raises $5.6 billion to expand its autonomous taxi network, currently operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. With previous funding of $5.5 billion since 2020 and backers like Andreesen Horowitz, Silver Lake, and Tiger Global, Waymo's total raised is $11.1 billion. The funds will accelerate deployment in U.S. cities, including Austin and Atlanta, in partnership with Uber, improving the Waymo Driver software and supporting over 100,000 weekly rides.

📢 AAK has agreed to sell its Foodservice site in Hillside, New Jersey, USA, as part of its portfolio strategy to optimize Foodservice operations. The binding transaction with Stratas Foods LLC should close by year-end, subject to standard conditions. Hillside accounts for ~5% of AAK's volume and ~1% of operating profit. The sale is expected to yield a one-time cash inflow of approximately 600 million SEK and should improve group operating profit per kilo by ~4%.