A private equity fund co-founded by Jeff Bezos’ brother has reportedly invested above $6m (£4.4m) in London-based premium coffee chain WatchHouse.
According to The Times, the coffee brand was the recipient of a Series B funding round from HighPost Capital, which generated £10.9m and brought WatchHouse’s total valuation to £76.1m.
HighPost Capital invests in the service, sports, media and technology sectors and was founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’ brother, Mark, and David Moross, who is chief executive.
In press materials seen by The Caterer, it was stated the cash injection would support WatchHouse’s international expansion across the United States, while entry into additional global markets are “under active negotiation and consideration”.
WatchHouse opened its first North American cafés in New York in 2024, starting with a store in Fifth Avenue and later in the Chrysler Building.
A new WatchHouse will open on Park Avenue in New York this spring, while plans are in place to launch further outlets on London’s Millennium Bridge and Northcote Road, as well as Saadiyat Grove and Equestrian Club in Abu Dhabi.
Roland Horne, founder and chief executive of WatchHouse, said: “This injection of capital comes at a pivotal point for WatchHouse, as we kickstart the next phase in our global expansion and strengthen our foothold in the US market. Alongside new openings, this investment enables us to scale our ambitions, evolving WatchHouse’s refined coffee-led approach to transition into a holistic lifestyle brand with international relevance.
“We are partnering with HighPost to accelerate this vision, and leverage its significant strategic capital, network and extensive experience in building leading consumer-focused companies, to help us achieve our next phase of growth.”
Moross added: “Roland and his visionary team have built an impressive business with a strong international following and broken through in what is a fragmented and competitive sector. We look forward to supporting their expansion efforts.”
Irish entrepreneur Horne founded WatchHouse in London Bridge in 2014. The brand has since grown into a portfolio of 25 coffeehouses across London, Bath, New York and the UAE.
