Skadden and Linklaters Acted on EG Group’s Sale of 218 Restaurants to KFC

Skadden and Linklaters Acted on EG Group’s Sale of 218 Restaurants to KFC

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Skadden) and Linklaters LLP (Linklaters) have been appointed legal advisors for KFC’s major acquisition of over 200 restaurants from EG Group, its largest franchisee in the UK and Ireland.

Skadden advises EG, the Blackburn-based business owned by the billionaire Issa brothers, on the deal. This follows their successful representation of the group earlier this year on the sale of the majority of its UK business to Asda for £2.07 billion. Linklaters advises KFC.

Last week, Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, announced its acquisition of EG Group’s entire KFC business in the UK and Ireland. This significant deal will see all 218 EG-owned KFC restaurants and 7,800 team members come under the direct management of KFC.

George Knighton, co-head of Skadden’s UK corporate practice, led the London-based team. He was ably supported by corporate associate Patrick Tsitsaros, who played a key role in advancing the deal towards completion.

Corporate associates Ali Alahmad and Sophie Lundsberg offered valuable support, while tax partner Alex Jupp provided expert guidance on the tax implications of the deal.

Employment of counsel Helena Derbyshire and European counsel Damian Babic ensured compliance with relevant employment and European regulations. IP and data privacy counsel Eve-Christie Vermynck addressed intellectual property and data privacy concerns, while banking partner Clive Wells and associate Zoe Cooper Sutton handled the banking aspects of the transaction.

Simon Branigan, Linklaters’ global head of corporate, spearheaded the deal. He was joined by Andy Bruce, global head of real estate, whose insights were crucial in navigating the real estate aspects of the agreement.

Corporate counsel Christopher Quinn played a key role in ensuring the deal’s legal integrity while managing associate Richard Ness provided valuable support and expertise. TMT associate Danny Greenland addressed any potential technology and media-related concerns, ensuring a comprehensive legal approach.

Linklaters has further solidified its longstanding relationship with Yum Brands, Inc. by advising the Kentucky-based company. This latest deal builds upon Linklaters’ previous work on Yum’s behalf, including the sale of subsidiary Pizza Hut’s 330 UK restaurants to restructuring investor Rutland Partners back in 2012.

Yum Brands Inc., the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell, has seized a significant opportunity to accelerate KFC’s growth trajectory in the UK and Ireland with its acquisition of EG Group’s KFC business. This strategic move marks a major step forward for Yum’s expansion plans in these key markets.