Together We Rise

Strategic Private Equity and Global Culinary Exit

In partnership with Intermina, Abboud Barakat spearheaded a significant investment in AWJ Investments, a hospitality group dedicated to scaling authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culinary concepts. This strategic venture culminated in a landmark 2023 exit to the food and beverage giant Kitopi, with a transaction value of approximately 98 million USD. This success highlights the ability to identify homegrown hospitality brands and transform them into premium, internationally recognised assets that command substantial market valuations and institutional interest.

Through this major shareholding in AWJ, the partnership globalised traditional flavours, bringing them to competitive international audiences in markets such as New York. By implementing scalable operational frameworks, the group allows these culinary concepts to retain their heritage and quality during rapid global expansion. This track record of identifying high-growth opportunities and achieving successful exits reinforces the group’s commercial position.