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Fast-Growing Food Tours Operator Hungry for More Acquisitions

Selene Brophy
December 13th, 2022 at 10:00 AM EST
The World Food Travel Association estimates that 79 percent of travelers learn about a destination through food and drink.

Skift Take

Food experiences are a mainstay for travelers who want to tap into the vibe and culture of a destination — with one global food tours company intent on dominating the culinary space by buying smaller operators that can extend its brand presence.

Secret Food Tours, a global food tours company located in over 60 cities, is hedging its expansion and growth through niche acquisitions and partnerships.

Based in the United Kingdom, the company has just acquired two local food tour companies, Little Havana Tours in Miami and Seattle Bites Food Tours in Seattle. Partnerships with Celebrity Cruises and Marriott are also in the works. And they're just getting started, according to co-founder Oliver Mernick-Levene.

Mernick-Levene and his partner Nico Jacquart founded Secret Food Tours in 2014 and expect revenues of $10 million in 2022 growing to $50 million by 2027.

Secret Food Tours believes it has set itself apart, with each tour built by its small development team who head into a destination to script the itinerary from the ground up to get "the right balance of culture, history and fun."  

"Each tour always include a secret location and dish," added Mernick-Levene.

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