Branded announces a portfolio exit as Spendgo is acquired by Olo, reinforcing consolidation trends in restaurant technology.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, January 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Branded Hospitality Ventures today announced another portfolio exit with the acquisition of its portfolio company Spendgo by leading restaurant technology platform Olo. The transaction marks a significant investment milestone for Branded and further validates its long-standing thesis around consolidation in restaurant technology.
The acquisition, which closed just ahead of year-end, brings Spendgo’s loyalty capabilities into Olo’s platform, expanding Olo’s ability to offer an integrated guest engagement and data solution. In its announcement, Olo cited growing customer demand for a unified loyalty platform that integrates seamlessly with ordering and marketing tools.
While the acquisition formally concludes Branded’s role as an investor in Spendgo, it also marks the beginning of Branded’s relationship as a stakeholder in Olo. The transaction represents a strategic outcome for all parties and underscores the increasing importance of loyalty and first-party guest data within the restaurant technology stack.
“Loyalty is not a marketing add-on; it’s a core differentiator,” Jimmy Frischling, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Branded noted. “The market is clearly rewarding companies that enable deeper personalization, richer guest profiles, and measurable repeat engagement. Single-point solutions are giving way to unified ecosystems designed to reduce tech-stack fragmentation and unlock real operational value for operators.”
As Branded looks ahead to 2026, the Spendgo acquisition reinforces a clear theme: loyalty is no longer a standalone feature—it is a core platform capability. Integrating loyalty, identity, and guest data with ordering, payments, and marketing signals a premium placed on technologies that drive repeat visits, personalization, and measurable guest retention.
The acquisition also represents Olo’s first transaction since being taken private by Thoma Bravo, reflecting a classic private-equity bolt-on strategy designed to expand addressable market and deepen customer value.
Branded expects M&A activity in 2026 to continue favoring technologies that unlock richer guest profiles, reduce tech-stack fragmentation, and enable unified engagement across channels. As restaurant operators demand deeper insights and more connected systems, acquisitions like Spendgo signal where value creation in restaurant technology is increasingly concentrated.
About Branded Hospitality:
Branded Hospitality (www.brandedstrategic.com) is the leading investment and solutions platform dedicated to the hospitality & foodservice industry. As experienced restaurant operators, hospitality experts, venture capitalists, strategic investors, advisors and corporate matchmakers, we leverage relationships with industry leading restaurant & hospitality operators, software vendors, and corporate enterprises to best create and capture value for our clients and partners.
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Julie Zucker
Branded Hospitality
julie@brandedstrategic.com
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