CapitalSpring INFO
About CapitalSpring
Private investment firm CapitalSpring provides structured capital to proven operators across the restaurant industry. Co-founded in 2005 by Managing Partner Richard Fitzgerald, CapitalSpring has grown to a 28-person team, with offices in Nashville, Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles.
As the restaurant industry has evolved, so too has CapitalSpring. Over the last 14 years, the firm has developed into a sought-after investment partner for leading operators in the restaurant industry thanks to two primary differentiators: one, the firm’s depth of experience—since its founding, CapitalSpring has invested approximately $1.8 billion and supported management teams across more than 200 investments in over 60 restaurant brands—and two, a flexible investment approach that allows the firm to craft versatile, transaction-specific structures ranging from debt to equity.
The CapitalSpring Difference
In the private equity or credit universe, it takes sector specialization to stand out in a field crowded by generalist investors. For CapitalSpring, the key to a sustainable competitive advantage, however, is identifying opportunity in a long-standing industry that others overlook due to surface-level volatility. The firm recognizes the restaurant industry’s breadth and scale as well as the inherently necessary role it played in consumers’ daily lives. While restaurant trends might come and go, the industry itself serves a variety of ever-present consumer needs – nourishment, convenience, and social connection.
While most private investment firms steer clear of restaurants, CapitalSpring assessed the industry in 2005 and realized that despite its scale and visibility, there was no dedicated, institutional source of capital for branded chain restaurants aside from deposit-based banks, who are inherently conservative and rigid.
Meet the Leadership Team
Richard Fitzgerald: Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Erik Herrmann: Partner and Head of Restaurant Investment Group
Jim Balis: Managing Director, Strategic Operations Group