Growth Partner backs global culinary tourism business Secret Food Tours
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve completed a significant minority investment in Secret Food Tours alongside Harwood Private Capital, a UK SME investment firm. This investment will support the company’s plans to triple its geographical presence over the next five years. Pembroke VCT, realised part of its investment in the business and continues to maintain an equity stake in the company going forward.
Nicolas Jacquart and Oliver Mernick-Levene cooked up the idea of Secret Food Tours in 2013 after meeting in a pub and bonding over a shared love for international cuisine and authentic flavours.
Oliver and Nico started out by setting up tours in London and Paris, hungry to showcase the best food and drink in each city – without the well-trodden tourist traps. The tours were hugely popular and whetted their appetites for growth. They’ve now scaled to offer a unique way for tourists to explore the culinary culture of over 80 cities around the world.
That makes SFT the most geographically diverse operator and global leader in the large and growing culinary tourism market.
The quality of the tours has helped SFT to grow rapidly in recent years: it has over 50,000 5* reviews – double that of the next largest player.
Oliver and Nico intend to provide unforgettable experiences to even more food-loving customers around the world – Growth Partner and Richard Harpin’s support will help to triple the number of cities that SFT operates in.
Alex Marsh, Partner at Growth Partner, led the deal and was supported by Clarke Sorrell. Helen Johnson, Nathan Jest, and Emma Butler from CMS provided legal advice.
Richard Harpin says:
Secret Food Tours perfectly exemplifies the type of ambitious, energetic and highly successful company that Growth Partner seeks to back. We’re very excited to be able to offer our support as the company continues to pursue its growth ambitions.
Nico Jacquart and Oliver Mernick-Levene say:
Building this company has been an extraordinary journey. What began as a concept brewed over a beer in London has grown to become a leading provider of bespoke culinary experiences in over 80 cities worldwide. This is a landmark moment in the next phase of growth, and we couldn’t have better partners in Pembroke, Harwood and Growth Partner.
Alex Marsh says:
Secret Food Tours has built something truly special—combining local expertise, incredible food, and a passion for authentic experiences to create unforgettable tours. We’re excited to partner with Nico and Oliver as they bring their unique approach to even more cities around the world, making culinary exploration more accessible than ever.