NCCO International Press Release: NCCO sells majority position to Gallant Capital
St. Paul, MN – National Checking Company (“NCCO”), a leading manufacturer of workflow-critical foodservice consumables and tech-enabled labeling solutions, has been acquired by Gallant Capital Partners. Hennepin Partners served as the exclusive financial advisor to NCCO. Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP served as legal counsel and Mahoney Ulbrich Christiansen & Russ PA provided tax and accounting expertise. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1905, NCCO has a long, family-owned heritage of providing a broad portfolio of consumable products serving the foodservice and hospitality industries. These products include the iconic GuestCheck™ order pads, register rolls, and food rotation and tamper-evident labels. The company is also a leader in foodservice tech with the DateCodeGenie® automated labeling system, a technology-enabled solution designed to improve food safety compliance and labor efficiency, digital food safety certification and management systems, and AI-driven foodservice solutions. The Company serves a diversified customer base that includes leading broadline foodservice distributors, national restaurant chains, convenience stores, hospitality operators, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities across North America and Europe.
Gallant is partnering with NCCO’s existing family ownership group and management team in connection with its investment in NCCO. Through the partnership, Gallant will support NCCO’s continued investment in its people, products, technology platforms, and commercial capabilities, while preserving the customer-first culture and service orientation that have defined the Company for generations.
“NCCO is an exceptional business with deep customer relationships, a differentiated portfolio of mission-critical products and solutions, and a highly respected position in the foodservice industry,” said Anthony Guagliano, Partner at Gallant. “We are excited to partner with the NCCO team to support the Company’s next phase of growth. Gallant’s investment philosophy is centered around collaboration, and we look forward to investing behind NCCO’s people, technology, and commercial capabilities while building on the strong foundation already in place.”
“We were drawn to NCCO because of the strength of its culture, the depth of its customer relationships, and the mission-critical nature of its products and solutions,” added Chris Suen, Managing Director at Gallant. “We believe there are meaningful opportunities to support continued innovation across the Company’s labels portfolio, DateCodeGenie platform, and broader food safety solutions. Our goal is to provide resources and operational support that help the NCCO team continue delivering exceptional value to its customers.”
“For more than 120 years, NCCO has built a strong reputation serving the foodservice industry with high-quality, relevant products and exceptional customer service,” said Ben Olk of NCCO. “This transaction represents an important milestone for the Company and our stakeholders as NCCO enters its next chapter of growth. We are excited to partner with Gallant as we continue investing in our products, customers, and long-term growth initiatives. Throughout the process, Hennepin Partners served as a thoughtful and highly strategic advisor, helping us effectively tell our story and achieve a successful outcome for our stakeholders. Taft’s experience, flexibility, and perspectives allowed us to feel comfortable with this significant opportunity. And Mahoney’s diligence and commitment helped us manage the complex tax and financial implications of this transaction. I am incredibly grateful for all of the key advisors who facilitated the completion of this deal. With this partnership, NCCO will continue to be a leader in the hospitality industry for a long time.”
About NCCO
NCCO is a leading foodservice solutions provider company that manufactures labels and essential consumables and provides automated labeling devices and technology-enabled food safety solutions. The company’s offerings include food safety and rotation labels, tamper-evident labels, custom-branded labels, guest checks, and register rolls, and leading digital foodservice solutions like DateCodeGenie®, a smart automated food labeling system, Task Manager, a digital food safety management tool, and Always Food Safe, an ANAB-accredited food safety training platform. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, NCCO serves restaurants, convenience stores, and foodservice operators across North America and Europe. For more information, visit www.ncco.com.
About Gallant
Gallant Capital Partners is a private equity firm that invests in technology, business services, and industrial companies. Gallant executes an operationally focused investment strategy with a priority on partnering closely with companies that can benefit from its extensive industry relationships and operating expertise. The firm partners with owners, founders, and management teams to maximize value and drive long-term, sustainable growth for its portfolio companies. Gallant was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.gallantcapital.com.
About Hennepin Partners
Hennepin Partners is a middle market investment bank that provides M&A advisory services and strategic advice to entrepreneurs, private equity firms, and corporations. It serves clients globally across a range of sectors including agriculture/ag-tech, business and industrial services, consumer, food and retail, distribution, energy, healthcare, industrial products and manufacturing, and software & technology. For more information, visit www.hennepinpartners.com.