Caffè Nero North America emerged because the successful bidder in Compass Espresso’s Chapter 11 sale course of this week, with a bid valued at $4,764,988, in line with courtroom paperwork.

The successful value exceeds the $2.9 million “stalking horse” supply that Caffè Nero made after Compass Espresso’s preliminary chapter submitting in early January. The Washington D.C.-area specialty espresso firm described the transaction as an asset buy that included “considerably all” stock, tools and mental property, plus sure leases and contracts.

Compass co-founder and CEO Michael Haft informed The Washington Submit that Caffè Nero is predicted, at the very least initially, to proceed working 17 D.C.-area cafes beneath the Compass identify, whereas starting transition conversations with managers and employees. Quite a few Compass Espresso places have closed throughout the previous two weeks.

A listening to to approve the sale is scheduled for Feb. 26 within the U.S. Chapter Courtroom for the District of Columbia. If the sale is authorised and closes, Caffè Nero would develop into the brand new proprietor of considerably all Compass Espresso property.

Caffè Nero, based in London in 1997 by Gerry Ford, has greater than 1,000 places globally and a relatively modest U.S. footprint concentrated round Boston. The Compass deal would give the corporate a right away foothold within the D.C. market.

The courtroom discover recognized an entity known as Subsequent Gen Espresso Enterprises LLC because the backup bidder within the Compass public sale, with a bid of $4,663,000, positioning it to step in if the successful deal fails to shut.

Compass Espresso was based in 2014, rising to greater than two dozen places within the DMV space. The Chapter 11 submitting lands amid a dispute between Compass’s founders. In January 2025, co-founder Harrison Suarez sued Compass, Michael Haft and one other proprietor in federal courtroom, alleging fraud and different claims. In a memorandum opinion dated Nov. 3, 2025, the courtroom allowed all however certainly one of Suarez’s claims to proceed previous a movement to dismiss.

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