Fourth Acquires Leading US Full-Service Payroll, Benefits and HR Services Business Choice HR
The UK’s leading hospitality operations platform Fourth has acquired Choice HR, a well-established American full-service Payroll, Benefits and HR Services business that serves the complex needs of the hospitality sector. Its 400 customers include leading brands like PDQ, Metro Diner, Beef o’ Brady’s, Ford’s Garage and World of Beer.
The acquisition will see the 55-strong Choice HR team at its head office in Tampa, Florida, join the Fourth family, and its management team remains in place. Choice HR’s offices will serve as the combined group’s North America base.
Ben Hood, Fourth’s CEO said: “This move demonstrates Fourth’s commitment and determination to support both hospitality employers and their employees on both sides of the Atlantic. While America offers a significant growth opportunity for Fourth, we remain absolutely committed to investing in the UK hospitality market, which I believe is the most sophisticated in the world.
“The operators who succeed in the battle for both customers and efficiencies in the UK and the US will be the ones who harness the power of technology to deliver not only the best guest experience but also the best employee experience. We’re dedicated to helping them achieve this.”
The move comes after Fourth’s recent acquisition of UK people and HR company Octane, and its revolutionary partnership with payment company Wagestream to enable workers access to their earnings ahead of the traditional monthly pay day.
Hood added: “We don’t just want to support our UK customers expanding in the US like Wagamama, Leon and Itsu. We also want to offer US operators the same robust system UK customers enjoy to ensure compliance and drive efficiencies.
“We all know the US legal framework is very much more complex than the UK, and that is why this acquisition is not about one tech company acquiring another. This is about disrupting the way America currently manages its hospitality workforce for the better.”
Fourth also plans to create a virtuous learnings circle by leveraging its innovation and experience in each geography for the benefit of the other
District Capital Partners and Willkie, Farr & Gallagher served as capital advisors for this acquisition.
