Herbert Smith Freehills advises Mr Yum on its merger with me&u

The merger is intended to create the world’s largest ordering and payments platform for the hospitality industry, and to deliver accelerated product innovation, continued international expansion and a collective investment in one platform.

Both founded in 2018, Mr Yum and me&u provide QR code table ordering and payments to thousands of venues across Australia, New Zealand, UK and the US.

The Herbert Smith Freehills team was led by partners Elizabeth Henderson and Clayton James, working with senior associate Jack McDonell, and solicitors Vincent Greco Schwartz and Emma McQuaid. The team was supported by partner Patrick Clark, senior associates Paul Burton and Alexander Moddel, and graduates Rose Kethel and Zoe Feldman, working across the firm’s Sydney and Melbourne offices.

Elizabeth Henderson said, “We have been privileged to work with the Mr Yum team over a number of years, and to have watched it grow from strength to strength under the leadership of its founders Kim Teo and Adrian Osman.”

Clayton James said, “This transaction not only marks a coming together of two global pioneers in the QR code ordering industry but also represents a shared commitment to revolutionising how people experience hospitality. Congratulations to both the Mr Yum and me&u teams on achieving this significant milestone.”

This deal is another example of Herbert Smith Freehills’ market-leading work in M&A transactions for the emerging tech sector and founder-led businesses. Other examples include:

• the A$125 million merger of thedockyard and Ansarada and capital raising, and re-listing of the merged entity on the ASX
• Mr Yum’s acquisition of MyGuestList from its founders
• Atlassian’s acquisitions of Code Barrel and ThinkTilt from the companies’ founders
• the investment in GreenCollar by KKR — the first in Australia for its US$1.3 billion Global Impact Fund
• Michael Cassel Group on a strategic investment by Amplify
• Adairs Limited’s NZ$80 million acquisition of Mocka Group from its founders.