The perfect blend? Private equity and coffee combine ahead of eye-catching sale

Foresight-backed 200 Degrees has agreed a takeover by the Nero Group

While you’re waiting for the American election results to come in (it doesn’t matter how often you refresh, there’s no new information to be had yet), make yourself a coffee and taste the success of Foresight’s exit from 200 Degrees, the Nottingham-headquartered coffee shop chain which has just been bought the the owners of Caffe Nero.

Slightly reminiscent of Gymshark, which found a way to become a phenomenon from selling t-shirts that were the same but somehow different to everyone else’s, 200 Degrees has enjoyed fantastic growth by selling coffee and cake in pretty much the same way as everyone else.

Sam Metcalf, who has followed the company’s story from its Nottingham origins to its Nero takeover, looks at the special recipe that was at the heart of its success…