Irish food business BWG Group has completed the acquisition of the trading business for some of the country's best-known quick service restaurant brands, including O'Briens Cafe, Abrakebabra and Bagel Factory.
The acquired business operates a network of 72 locations nationwide, including 47 O'Briens and Bagel Factory outlets, 17 Abrakebabra restaurants and eight Oasis of Taste Food Halls, supported by over 50 franchisee partners.
BWG said the deal will complement its brand portfolio that includes over 1,000 SPAR, EUROSPAR, LONDIS, MACE and XL stores across the country. The company said the new acquisition marks its entry into the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector and further enhances its ability to serve customers across multiple food channels.
Aligned with a Franchise-Led Strategy
BWG said the deal aligns with its long-term strategy of building scale across complementary foodservice channels and partnering with independent entrepreneurs. The franchise-led operating model of the acquired business is closely aligned with the group's long-standing tradition of supporting and investing in independent operators.
O'Briens Cafe, Abrakebabra and Bagel Factory will operate as a single entity subsidiary of BWG Group, with the existing management team leading the next phase of growth, working with current franchise partners while also continuing to develop a strong pipeline of new franchisees.
Ambition to Expand to Almost 100 Locations
BWG Group said it has a clear growth ambition for the business to expand by 25 additional locations by 2030, bringing the network to almost 100 locations nationwide.
John Moane, group chief executive of BWG Group, said the O'Briens Cafe, Abrakebabra and Bagel Factory brands are all long-established, trusted names with strong customer recognition and a proven franchise model.
"BWG Group sees significant opportunity to build on these foundations, supported by a highly experienced franchisee base with deep operational expertise and local market knowledge. This sector has proven to be one of the most resilient and consistently growing areas of the Irish foodservice market and this acquisition positions BWG strongly to participate in that growth," he added.
What This Means for the Irish QSR Sector
The acquisition underlines how Ireland's quick service restaurant sector remains one of the most resilient and consistently growing areas of the foodservice market. For multi-site and franchise operators, scale brings a renewed focus on consistent technology, centralised reporting and integrated payments across every location.
At ithPOS, we work with cafés, takeaways and multi-site hospitality groups across Ireland to deliver unified EPOS, payments and online ordering that scale with growing networks. Explore our Cafe EPOS and Takeaway EPOS solutions to see how connected technology supports busy QSR operations.
Source: RTÉ News — BWG Group buys O'Briens Cafe, Abrakebabra and Bagel Factory