![Cici's Pizza Logo](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Favlsku53zsfm%2F1p30rcN8sndMXg9diurexI%2Fc08bcab6c5a20501fcaa9e6388ee97a9%2Fcici-logo.png&w=256&q=75)
CiCi’s Pizza (“CiCi’s”) is a leading pizza restaurant company featuring an “all-you-can-eat” buffet format in the U.S.
Investment
C$52 million
Fund
ONCAP II
Period
June 2007 - August 2016
ONCAP Team
![Cici's Pizza Hero](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Favlsku53zsfm%2F6t515NAfO93y6dG4mq45oE%2F9b74a0921b8d76b2a9461ffe266f4d4e%2Fcicis-1.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Transaction Summary
ONCAP partnered with the Cici's management team to recapitalize the business.
Business Description
CiCi’s Pizza (“CiCi’s”) is a leading pizza restaurant company featuring an “all-you-can-eat” buffet format in the U.S. operating through two main business units:
CiCi Enterprises LP: Consisting of 402 franchised and 39 corporate restaurants annually serving more than 57 million guests for approximately $5 per guest; and
JMC Distribution LP: Captive purchasing and distribution business with three distribution centers across the U.S. distributing ingredients and supplies to 100% of the system-wide restaurants as well as a handful of third-party customers.
Accomplishment and Outcome
Despite a challenging environment for the restaurant industry following the acquisition, CiCi’s preserved equity value as a result of its strong cash-flow profile. At the time of the sale of the Company, CiCi’s paid down over US$90 million of its original acquisition debt, and recorded 14 consecutive quarters of same-store-sales growth. The return to revenue and EBITDA growth is attributed to a new management team brought in since 2013, improved product quality, more effective marketing, improved franchisee relations and third-party distribution earnings.
In August 2016, the Arlon Group purchased the Company, generating a total of approximately $90 million in proceeds for ONCAP.