Franchise Equity Partners to Acquire IMO Car Wash from Driven Brands

Rhea-AI Summary

Franchise Equity Partners announced on December 2, 2025 that it has entered into an agreement to acquire IMO Car Wash, the world's largest tunnel car wash operator, from Driven Brands (DRVN). The deal includes IMO's entire portfolio of 720 locations, primarily in the United Kingdom and Germany, plus sites in nine other European countries and Australia. IMO was founded 60 years ago and serves millions annually. FEP said it will prioritize increasing wash volumes, elevating the customer experience, and leveraging retail partnerships under its inaugural international acquisition.

Positive

• Acquisition covers 720 locations across UK, Germany, nine other European countries, and Australia
• Deal represents FEP's first international transaction (Dec 2, 2025)
• IMO has a 60-year brand history with millions of annual customers
• Planned operational focus: increase wash volumes and improve customer experience

Negative

• None.

Insights

Private Equity Strategist

FEP acquires IMO Car Wash (720 sites) from Driven Brands, marking FEP's first international deal and a shift of a large European asset.

Franchise Equity Partners gains a high-volume, geographically diversified portfolio of IMO Car Wash with Dec 2, 2025 as announcement date and 720 locations primarily in the UK and Germany and presence in nine other European countries plus Australia. The business model rests on repeat, transaction-heavy retail throughput and existing strategic retail-host partnerships that drive site-level footfall and revenues.

Key dependencies include the retained management team's execution, the ability to lift wash volumes through operational workstreams, and the strength of retail partnerships across multiple jurisdictions. Cross-border ownership introduces integration tasks around governance, tax, and local labor/regulatory practices that will determine near-term cost and operational risk.

Watch for concrete, monitorable milestones: any public disclosure of transaction close terms, announced targets for wash-volume or customer-experience investments, and short-term operational KPIs over the next 6–18 months. These items will clarify whether the stated uplift objectives translate into measurable performance improvements.

FEP Announces Inaugural International Acquisition via a Purchase of the Leading Global Tunnel Car Wash Operator With 720 Locations

NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Franchise Equity Partners, LP (FEP), a private investment firm on a mission to create long-term partnerships with quality franchisees, franchisors, and multi-unit companies, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire IMO Car Wash, the largest tunnel car wash business in the world, from Driven Brands (NASDAQ:DRVN). The transaction includes IMO's entire portfolio of 720 locations, primarily located across the United Kingdom and Germany, with sites in nine other European countries and Australia.

Founded 60 years ago, IMO Car Wash is one of the most recognized and trusted car wash brands globally, serving millions of customers annually through its convenient, high-volume model. The company operates a uniquely diversified footprint and is supported by a management team with deep expertise in the car wash sector.

"We believe IMO represents a rare opportunity to acquire a market-leading, long-standing brand with a highly defensible footprint and a strong operating team," said Scott Romanoff, Co-Managing Partner at FEP. "Our goal is to help optimize and enhance performance across the existing portfolio. With IMO's established customer base, retail partnerships, and experienced leadership, we see significant opportunity to drive organic growth and continue strengthening the brand."

"Our investment in IMO is FEP's inaugural transaction outside the United States," added Mike Esposito, Co-Managing Partner at FEP. "We believe this represents the ideal foundation to expand our strong multi-unit retail presence in the United States to the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond."

Under FEP's ownership, IMO will focus on increasing wash volumes, elevating the customer experience, and further leveraging its strategic retail partnerships. IMO maintains strong relationships with retailers across the UK and EU, where the company operates car washes on-site to increase customer traffic for both IMO and its retail hosts.

"This marks an important milestone for IMO Car Wash," said Adam Green, President of IMO Car Wash. "FEP understands both the heritage and the potential of our brand. Their long-term approach, commitment to operational excellence, and deep experience in multi-unit business models make them an ideal partner as we focus on unlocking more value from our existing network. We look forward to working with FEP to strengthen our market position and continue serving our customers."

The acquisition reinforces FEP's strategy of partnering with category-leading operators in resilient industries where scale, brand recognition, and operational efficiency create sustainable competitive advantages.

For more information about Franchise Equity Partners, please visit https://www.fep-us.com/.

About Franchise Equity Partners:
Franchise Equity Partners is a private investment firm specializing in providing capital to franchise businesses and their owners. Its differentiated approach combines extensive corporate finance and operating experience with an initial target portfolio size of $1 billion to enable growth, ownership simplification, succession and estate planning, among other strategic business opportunities. To learn more about Franchise Equity Partners, please visit www.fep-us.com or follow the firm on LinkedIn.
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Contact:
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954-893-9150
amazzola@tidehouseagency.com

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SOURCE Franchise Equity Partners

FAQ

What did Franchise Equity Partners announce on December 2, 2025 regarding IMO Car Wash?

Franchise Equity Partners announced an agreement to acquire IMO Car Wash, including its entire portfolio of 720 locations, from Driven Brands (DRVN).

How many locations does IMO Car Wash include in the acquisition of DRVN assets?

The acquisition includes 720 locations across the UK, Germany, nine other European countries, and Australia.

What are FEP's stated priorities for IMO Car Wash after the acquisition?

FEP said it will focus on increasing wash volumes, elevating the customer experience, and leveraging strategic retail partnerships.

Is the acquisition of IMO Car Wash FEP's first deal outside the United States?

Yes. FEP described this transaction as its inaugural international acquisition.

What information about the purchase price or deal proceeds for DRVN shareholders was disclosed?

The announcement did not disclose a purchase price or the financial terms of the sale.

Where are IMO Car Wash's largest markets located following the acquisition announcement?

IMO's largest concentrations are reported in the United Kingdom and Germany, with additional sites across Europe and Australia.