Sun Capital to take over Italian restaurant chain

Sun Capital Partners, a global private investment firm based in Boca Raton, Florida, has bought Fazoli’s Restaurants, a chain of 319 Italian restaurants spread across 32 states, for an undisclosed amount, Sun Capital announced. 

Robert Weissmueller, who has held several positions at the McDonald’s Corporation including group vice president of integrated logistics and director of international operations since 1971, will be Fazoli’s new president and CEO, according to a statement. He takes the place of Kuni Toyoda, who founded the chain in 1988 in Lexington, Kentucky under the name Gratzi’s, according to the company’s website.

Sun Capital Partners specialises in leveraged buyouts of distressed companies. Rodger Kraus and Marc Leder are its co-CEOs. It bought the Paris-based intimate apparel arm of the Sara Lee Company, the maker of the Wonderbra, and changed its name to Dim Branded Apparel (DBA) in February 2006.