CREPEAFFAIRE RESCUED FROM ADMINISTRATION
Crêpeaffaire Rescued from Administration in £149K Pre-Pack Deal, Saving 66 Jobs
Crêpeaffaire, a UK-based crêperie café chain, has been saved from administration through a pre-pack sale worth £149,000. Completed on 14 January 2025, the deal saw seven of the company’s nine owned retail locations acquired by Crepe Trading, securing 66 jobs.
The affected locations include Brighton, Bromley, Cambridge, Islington, Leeds, Newcastle, and St Albans. However, the Chester and Westfield London sites were closed as part of the restructuring.
The franchise division of the business was separately sold to Crepe Union. Interestingly, Crêpeaffaire directors Allen Kerslake and Daniel Spinath also serve as directors and shareholders of Crepe Trading and Crepe Union, respectively. Founded in 2004, Crêpeaffaire grew to around 25 sites, consisting of both company-owned stores and franchise locations across the UK, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
The brand is known for its sweet and savory crêpes, featuring options such as smoked salmon & cream cheese, hunter’s chicken, Nutella, Lotus Biscoff, and banana split. In recent years, the company struggled with rising operational costs and inflationary pressures.
Despite attempts to improve its financial position, increasing costs and pre-existing debt made it difficult to secure further investment or funding, ultimately leading to insolvency. Brian Burke, managing director at Quantuma and joint administrator for Crêpeaffaire, expressed optimism about the outcome, stating, "I am delighted to have achieved such a positive outcome for this well-established brand, ultimately preserving 66 jobs and its international footprint, with no disruption to ongoing operations. We look forward to seeing Crêpeaffaire achieve success in its next chapter."
This case highlights the financial challenges facing hospitality businesses and demonstrates how strategic restructuring can help protect well-known brands and jobs in difficult economic conditions.
