Taco Del Mar Sold

Expanding its investment platform in the mid-market restaurant franchise segment, High Bluff Capital Partners has acquired Taco Del Mar, the fast-casual chain featuring coastal Mexican cuisine, from Franchise Brands LLC.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal comes on the heels of HBCP’s acquisition last month of QCE LLC, parent of Quiznos, known for its toasted sandwiches.  

“We see tremendous opportunity to continue to build out our platform in the mid-market restaurant franchise segment, which has many regionally strong concepts with significant growth potential,” said Gerry Lopez, Operating Partner at High Bluff Capital. “Our approach is grounded in identifying brands that enjoy strong relationships with consumers that can benefit from the type of targeted capital, scale, management expertise and focus on innovation we bring to bear. 

“With a popular Baja lifestyle positioning and well-established heritage in the Pacific Northwest, Taco Del Mar has an excellent foundation to build upon as we look to leverage our platform to enhance support to the franchise base, develop and introduce fresh concepts that resonate with today’s consumers and broaden the brand’s appeal,” he added.

 Headquartered in Lynwood, Wash., Taco Del Mar opened its first restaurant in Seattle in 1992 and now has more than 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The franchise-owned chain offers the authentic tastes of Baja, with a menu featuring traditional favorites as well as vegetarian and vegan options.