Ottawa’s Bridgehead Coffee is now a member of the Second Cup family as the local chain’s $9.5-million acquisition officially closed Friday.
First announced in late 2019, the deal will see Bridgehead join the parent company of Second Cup, which, pending shareholder approval, will soon go by the name Aegis Brands. The transaction marks Aegis’s first acquisition.
Bridgehead will remain an independent brand under its new owners, with former CEO Tracey Clark moving to a role of chief culture officer and chief operating officer Kate Burnett taking over executive leadership of the company. The company is also hiring for a new director of marketing and brand.
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Clark told OBJ last month that the deal gives Bridgehead the resources and real estate to expand the popular Ottawa coffee chain beyond the National Capital Region, where it currently operates 19 stores.
Aegis CEO Steve Pelton said the Bridgehead “story,” which focuses on fair-trade coffee bought from small-scale farmers, resonates with people.
“People like to connect with brands that make them feel good about what they’re doing. We’re excited to see what we can learn from them and grow our respective businesses.”
Ian Lee, a professor at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, called the acquisition a “ready-made growth opportunity.”
