Global Food & Beverage Consultants 

Trine Hahnemann is a renowned Danish cookbook author, chef and restaurateur, celebrated for her sustainable approach to food and her regular contributions to BBC, the Observer Food Monthly and numerous international publications. Alongside her writing and teaching, Trine built a respected chef-led corporate catering business in Copenhagen, operating in-house staff restaurants for multiple clients in addition to a thriving retail, café and cooking school in one of the city’s emerging neighbourhoods.

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THINK Hospitality were approached to advise on strategic options for the business, exploring pathways ranging from international expansion to a potential full or partial exit. Through in-depth discussions with Trine and her business partner, it became clear that the most effective strategy would be to carve out and sell the corporate catering division while retaining the retail and café business, allowing Trine to redirect her time and energy toward writing and teaching.

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Our strategic rationale was shaped by a detailed analysis of the Scandinavian corporate catering market, where global operators such as ISS, Compass and Sodexo compete aggressively with medium-sized local players, creating increasing price pressure, consolidation dynamics and shrinking margins. This assessment highlighted the value of divesting the corporate hospitality arm while maintaining control of the brand’s more creative and consumer-facing ventures.

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In phase one we collaborated closely with the management team, lawyers and accountants to separate the catering division from the wider business. This included establishing normalised P&Ls, resolving IP and branding rights, clarifying supplier and client contracts and structuring the business as a clean and transparent standalone entity suitable for acquisition.

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We then modelled the potential value to different types of acquirers, factoring in strategic value levers such as Scandinavian market entry, enhancement of gastronomic credibility, portfolio diversification and bottom-line EBIT growth. A prioritised shortlist of qualified buyers was developed, and THINK Hospitality supported negotiations, problem solved around emerging challenges and helped maintain momentum throughout the process.

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The project concluded with the successful sale of the corporate catering business to a respected Danish operator, strengthening their client portfolio and preventing a major competitor from entering the premium corporate dining sector.