Mendocino Farms Partners With Equity Firm For Expansion

Mendocino Farms, the fast-casual sandwich chain, has been acquired by private-equity firm TPG Growth to expand the concept outside California. The expansion will be led by former Darden Restaurants executive and Yard House co-founder Harald Herrmann, who has joined the Los Angeles chain as CEO. Founders Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen remain the 12-year-old chain’s largest individual shareholders and will stay involved in day-to-day operations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

With 16 units and two more scheduled to open in Northern California in December, Mendocino Farms is planning another 10 units in 2018. The chain, which uses locally sourced ingredients, expects to debut in Texas, its first move outside California, in 2019.