Helped A Global Leader in the Food Services Industry Identify High-Quality Acquisition Targets

Client:

A trusted global leader in the food services industry, with a well-established presence in North America and Europe.

Client Objective

Our client sought to identify high-quality acquisition opportunities in North America. The focus was on companies with an annual turnover between USD 30 million and USD 100 million, operating within the building services sector. The objective was to develop a clear shortlist of acquisition-ready targets that aligned with the client’s growth and consolidation strategy.

Research Methodology

A multi-stage screening and evaluation framework was designed to ensure only the most relevant and high-quality companies were selected:

1. Long List Development

• Compiled an extensive database of companies across the U.S. and Canada using secondary research (industry associations, financial filings, company databases, and trade publications).
• Initial pool included over 180 companies operating in various building services sub-segments.
• Criteria such as revenue, service offerings, industry focus, sales coverage, employee strength, etc. was evaluated.

2. Medium List Filtering

• Applied quantitative criteria such as annual turnover thresholds (USD 30M–100M), growth trends, geographic footprint, customer base diversity existing partnerships
• Narrowed the pool to around 60 companies.

3.Short List Selection

• Conducted a qualitative assessment focusing on management strength, reputation in the market, service portfolio breadth, potential synergies with the client, financial stability, business performance, etc.
• Integrated insights from primary interviews with industry experts, customers, and former executives to validate company positioning.
• Resulted in a shortlist of 6 companies with strong strategic fit.

Data Sources

• Interviews with stakeholders from the companies identified during the filtering process from the long list to short list
• In-depth interviews with key companies, channel partners, customers, and industry experts
• Annual reports/investor presentations of companies identified during the filtering from the long list to short list
• Paid databases such as D&B Hoovers, Statista, Orbis, Factiva, etc.
• Internal databases, market intelligence, and reports on the North America facility management market

Research Outcome

The final deliverable consisted of detailed company profiles of the top acquisition targets:

• 5 companies in the United States and 1 company in Canada were identified as prime candidates.
• Each profile included:
  • Financial overview: Revenue range, profitability indicators, and growth trajectory.
  • Operational details: Geographic footprint, workforce size, service lines, and customer mix.
  • Strategic assessment: Competitive advantages, key differentiators, and potential risks.
  • Acquisition rationale: Specific synergies with the client’s portfolio and integration potential.

The analysis and report equipped the client with a well-researched, actionable shortlist of acquisition-ready targets, enabling them to move forward with confidence in due diligence and negotiations.

Research Impact

The consulting engagement provided the client with a clear, evidence-backed roadmap to pursue acquisitions in the North American building services sector, accelerating their growth strategy.