About

Small by design. Long by habit.

A boutique consulting and investment firm dedicated to the food, drink and hospitality industry.

Our story

— Hospitality is personal

The best hospitality businesses are led by people with obsessive attention to craft, and they deserve partners who treat their work with the same respect.

Malibu Waves Group sits on the quieter side of the table — close to founders, close to operators, close to the people who run the door, the pass and the P&L. Our clients come to us for judgment, candour and a network that has been built one dinner at a time.

We don't chase deal flow. We don't issue white papers. We work on a handful of projects each year and we finish what we start.

Principles

— What shapes every engagement

  • i.

    Operator-first thinking

    We weigh every decision through the lens of the team that has to live with it on a Saturday night in August.

  • ii.

    Patient capital

    Great hospitality brands compound over decades. Our hold periods and our advice are calibrated to match.

  • iii.

    Sense of place

    A restaurant in Mykonos is not a restaurant in Malibu. We respect local culture, climate and the people who live there year-round.

  • iv.

    Craft over scale

    We'd rather help an operator open one perfect room than ten compromised ones. Quality is the only moat that lasts.

  • v.

    Discretion

    We don't name clients unless they ask us to. Trust is the business.

  • vi.

    Aligned interests

    When we advise, we advise in the client's interest. When we invest, our capital is alongside the founder's.

Track record

— A focused practice

Engagements span new concepts, operational turnarounds, expansion, brand repositioning and minority growth investments in founder-led hospitality.

3
Core markets
20+
Years collective experience
Limited
Engagements each year
Discretion

— A note

Our clients value confidentiality; so do we.

Most introductions come through existing clients, long-standing operators or trusted advisors. If you'd like to speak with us, a short note is the best way to begin.

Introduce yourself