Latest from Retail & Consumer
Promoting the brand directly to the consumer
To allow his brand to stand out in a crowded market, John Bramm decided that shaking up the marketing strategy was the best way to make it stand out.
Taking a chance with Groupon
Elliot Grove explains why his Raindance Film Festival and film school might not have survived without the website and Groupon.
Dragons' Den reject Trunki packs up investment from Business Growth Fund
Children's luggage company Trunki has secured a £3.92 million investment from the bank-backed Business Growth Fund.
Investment for business growth: Broadbandchoices.co.uk
Advertising can often be a difficult thing to gauge in terms of return on investment, but is pivotal for the future success of Broadbandchoices.co.uk
P2P sports gambling platform BuddyBet nets $3 million funding eight months after launch
A social networking-based online betting business set up in August 2012 has netted a $3 million investment from a number of private investors.
City-based bar-restaurant group Drake & Morgan closes £30 million MBO
A second restaurant-based management buy-out of the week has seen Drake & Morgan complete a £30 million deal with help from Bowmark Capital.
Envestors leads funding injection into price comparison platform CompareFinanza.it
Private investor network Envestors has closed a new deal through the €5.3 million (£4.6 million) backing of insurance price comparison website CompareFinanza.it.
LDC backs £50 million MBO of Bluebird and Coq d’Argent owner D&D London
Mid-market private equity house LDC has upped its interest in the retail and consumer sector by backing the management buy-out of restaurant group D&D London.
Adidas and Huge Boss online fitting service Fits.me closes £5 million Series A
Software firm Fits.me has netted £5 million through its Series A funding round so that it can develop its virtual fitting room services.
Red Bull Amplifier accelerator targets start-ups in the music space
Energy drinks brand Red Bull has launched a business accelerator aimed at cultivating innovative music-orientated start-ups.
CVC Capital Partners and Betfair clarify status on takeover bid
Betfair has responded to rumours that CVC Capital Partners may be about to launch an acquisition bid for the business by saying that 'there can be no certainty that an offer will be made'.
LVMH adds to portfolio by backing growth efforts of Australian boot brand R.W. Williams
Luxury goods group LVMH has invested an undisclosed amount into clothing and footwear retailer R.M. Williams.
Planet X Bikes plots expansion course ahead of 2014 Tour de France UK visit
As the UK is increasingly swept up in Bradley Wiggins mania, Sheffield-based Planet X Bikes is gearing up for rapid growth on the back of a new funding package.
Habitat and Borders saviour Hilco takes charge of HMV business
Specialist restructuring firm Hilco has followed up on its January acquisition of HMV's debt by acquiring the business and certain assets.
UK services sector posts encouraging start-of-the-year figures
Incoming new work has contributed to the fastest growth seen in the UK services sector for over half a year, new figures show.
Innocent Drinks founders invest in business set up by ex-Yahoo executive
The founders of the Innocent Drinks brand are investing in kids company Toucan Box through a new investment firm, Jam Jar.
Malmaison and Hotel du Vin chains bought by American buyer KSL
Boutique hotel brands Malmaison and Hotel du Vin are now under private equity ownership following a deal involving American firm KSL Capital Partners.
Baby sleeping bag business secures Mobeus Equity Partners as MBO backer
Debt and equity finance support has been provided to baby products business Gro Group though a management buy-out.
Tesco snaps up restaurant chain Giraffe as part of plans to develop larger stores
Supermarket chain Tesco has acquired the Giraffe restaurant chain for £48.6 million and now intends to turn it into a 'family-friendly' retail destination.
Ingenious Ventures backs flash sale site Casabu and partners with BBH venture arm Zag
A flash sale site aimed at mothers of small children has raised £900,000 to add to the angel funding it received in 2012.
More from GrowthBusiness
The Entrepreneur
Diversifying the client base at launch and learning to say ‘No’
David Barker reflects on resisting the temptation to say 'Yes' to the first offer when he opened his data centre, and how choosing instead to diversify his client base at launch has enabled 4D Data Centres to maintain rapid growth in a recession.
Growing A Business
Corporate leaks: How to prevent and investigate if they occur
Bob Mecrate-Butcher, partner at Charles Russell, looks at how corporate leaks can first be prevented and then plugged when they do occur.
Comment & Analysis
Channeling Instagram for start-up success
That a team of 13 could build a business worth $1 billion should be the inspiration that all entrepreneurs need.
Research
The rise of cash shells
New research from GrowthBusiness shows that the number of UK cash shells is climbing. We speak to new entrants to the market and those that have recently closed deals to find out what’s driving shells’ increasing popularity.
