Protein Bar, a casual restaurant chain specialising in healthy, on-the-go options, has secured a capital investment by private equity firm Catterton Partners.    The investment will be used to foster the expansion of the Protein Bar concept across the US. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.     Protein Bar offers high-quality, healthy food in a modern and hip fast-casual environment.  Known for its "Bar-ritos", quinoa bowls, salads and protein drinks, Protein Bar provides its guests with craveable food that is good for them, in a manner and speed that is in tune with their busy lifestyles.  Protein Bar was founded

Aviva Investors has completed the acquisition of EUR84.5m in privately placed senior secured notes issued by Reggefiber, the Dutch telecommunications infrastructure provider.   The transaction refinances a short-term construction bridge facility provided by ABN AMRO and provides long term capital for Reggefiber to facilitate the continued expansion of its Fiber-to-the-Home (FttH) networks. This marks the first investment for the Aviva Investors European Secondary Infrastructure Credit SV (Securitisation Vehicle), which launched in July 2013.   This is Reggefiber’s first capital markets transaction, having previously obtained debt financing via project finance facilities in the banking market. The transaction comprises a fixed-rate tranche

Livingstone’s IT services team has advised the shareholders of Backup Technology on the sale of the business to iomart Group for GBP23m, a 9.6x multiple of historic EBITDA.   Backup Technology is a provider of managed data backup and disaster recovery services to SMEs and large corporates. Using software from Canadian developer Asigra, the business protects over 10 petabytes of data for over 200 customers, including household names such as the British Red Cross, Siemens, Pernod Ricard and Liverpool FC.   iomart is one of Europe’s largest providers of cloud computing services, serving in excess of 300,000 customers through several

Merus, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on human antibody therapeutics, has secured a EUR31m extension to its series B financing round, bringing the total round to EUR47.6m.   Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC) joined as a new investor along with existing investors Novartis Venture Fund, Pfizer Venture Investments, Bay City Capital, LSP (Life Sciences Partners), and Aglaia Oncology Fund.   A representative of JJDC will join Merus’ board of directors.   Merus will use the new funds to broaden its portfolio of pre-clinical programs for the treatment of cancer patients and to bring its lead programmes into phase I clinical

LBO France has announced the sale of Groupe Poult’s Polish activities to Bridgepoint, for an undisclosed amount. Established in 1993 and operating under the Dr Gerard brand, the business was acquired by Groupe Poult in 2010 as part of a build up orchestrated by LBO France. Today it’s a leading biscuit producer in Poland, selling products to all retail formats, operating from three sites in the country and employing 950 people.   As part of the transformation realised by LBO France and under the ownership of Groupe Poult, the Polish business grew significantly, transitioning from a local family owned business

Rowmark, a manufacturer of highly engineered extruded plastic sheet used for engraving and specialty applications, has been acquired by Bertram Capital.   Based in Findlay, Ohio, Rowmark represents Bertram Capital’s third platform investment in the plastics industry.  In addition to the equity investment in Rowmark, Bertram Capital also provided subordinated debt to finance the acquisition. "Rowmark is an established market leader with strong brand recognition, supported by state-of-the-art manufacturing and an unmatched distribution network," says Kevin Yamashita, Partner at Bertram Capital.  "Rowmark is led by a capable and experienced management team.  They have built a platform with robust operating fundamentals

Funds managed by IK Investment Partners have entered into an agreement with the Norwegian foundation Det Norske Veritas (DNV) to acquire its subsidiary DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS).   Financial details for the transaction have not been disclosed.   Founded by the Norwegian foundation DNV in 1981, DNVPS is a provider of fuel management services for the maritime and power sectors with customers including ship owners, managers and charterers as well as power plant operators. The company primarily operates within two segments, fuel quality testing and bunker quantity surveys.   DNVPS has experienced strong growth since inception, reaching USD50m in revenue