3G Capital

Private Equity · Business

Mentions

Podcasts

Episodes

Podcast consensus

Points of consensus

▶3G Capital focuses on acquiring and operating major consumer brands, with a portfolio including Burger King, Tim Hortons, Heinz, Hunter Douglas, and Skechers.Feb–Apr 2026

▶The firm has a track record of generating exceptionally high returns on its investments, such as a 30x return on Restaurant Brands International and a 3x return on Heinz.Feb 2026

▶3G Capital's model involves deep operational involvement to drive growth, exemplified by expanding Restaurant Brands International from 12,000 to over 30,000 restaurants and building Burger King's French business from zero to over 2 billion euros in sales.Feb 2026

▶The firm's partners and co-founders are the largest investors in each deal, indicating a high degree of personal conviction and alignment of interests.Feb 2026

Points of debate

▶The universal effectiveness of the 3G model is debatable; it generated a 30x return with Restaurant Brands International but underperformed with Kraft due to a failure to appreciate the risk of disintermediation from private labels.Feb 2026

▶There is a contrast in the firm's risk assessment capabilities; they are said to value businesses with direct customer relationships, yet they misjudged this very factor in the Kraft investment.Feb 2026

▶The firm's investment focus appears to be evolving. While known for food and beverage deals like Burger King and Heinz, acquisitions like Hunter Douglas and the projected purchase of Skechers suggest a broadening scope.Feb 2026

▶The investment structure is unique, focusing on one investment per fund. This contrasts with the traditional diversified portfolio approach of most private equity firms, creating a debate around risk concentration versus high-conviction betting.Feb 2026

Key themes

▶Concentrated, High-Conviction Investment StrategyFeb 2026

3G Capital employs a unique model of raising capital with the intention of making just one investment per fund. The firm's partners and co-founders are the largest investors in these deals, demonstrating significant personal commitment to each acquisition.

This 'all-in' approach aligns the firm's interests directly with the long-term success of a single portfolio company, but it also concentrates risk far more than traditional, diversified private equity funds.

▶Transformational Growth through Operational ControlFeb–Apr 2026

Following an acquisition, 3G Capital actively drives substantial growth through operational intervention. For example, they grew Restaurant Brands International from 12,000 to over 30,000 locations and built Burger King's French presence from non-existent to over 2 billion euros in sales.

3G's value creation stems from deep operational improvements and aggressive expansion rather than just financial engineering, making them more akin to strategic operators than passive investors.

▶History of Extraordinary ReturnsFeb–Apr 2026

The firm has a track record of generating massive returns, including a 30x return on Restaurant Brands International and a 3x return on Heinz. An early investment by the founders in Brahma grew from an initial $80 million to over $60 billion through a series of subsequent deals.

The sheer scale of these returns highlights the power of their long-term, operationally-focused model when applied to the right assets, attracting capital for their high-concentration, single-deal funds.

▶Learning from Strategic MisstepsFeb 2026

The investment in Kraft underperformed because 3G misjudged the threat of private labels disintermediating its commoditized products. This experience has reportedly led the firm to place a greater emphasis on acquiring businesses that own the direct relationship with their end customers.

The Kraft failure serves as a critical case study, demonstrating that the 3G playbook is not universally applicable and has forced an evolution in their investment criteria towards businesses with stronger competitive moats.

Source episodes

Sentiment over time

Not enough data for timeline

Changes over time

1997

The private equity shop founded by the principals of 3G was reportedly the largest in emerging markets.

Pre-2010

Founders executed a series of acquisitions beginning with Brahma, growing an initial $80 million investment into a stake worth over $60 billion through the creation of Anheuser-Busch InBev.

2010

3G Capital acquired Burger King for approximately $1 billion in equity.

Mid-2014

Burger King's valuation grew to $10 billion, with 3G Capital owning 70% of the company.

Post-2010

The firm executed a period of major operational growth at its portfolio companies, expanding Restaurant Brands International to over 30,000 restaurants and establishing a 2 billion euro business for Burger King in France.

2025 (Projected)

3G Capital is projected to be involved in major take-private transactions, specifically with the acquisition of Skechers.

Suggested prompts

How has the underperformance of the Kraft investment tangibly altered 3G Capital's due diligence process and target company criteria? &nearr;What specific operational levers did 3G Capital pull to grow Restaurant Brands International from 12,000 to over 30,000 locations? &nearr;Given the 'one investment per fund' model, what is the typical fundraising cycle and holding period for a 3G Capital investment? &nearr;How does 3G's strategy of owning the end-customer relationship apply to its acquisitions of non-restaurant brands like Hunter Douglas and the projected acquisition of Skechers? &nearr;

Key concepts

Investment Strategy 2 ep Skechers 2 ep Returns on Investment 2 ep Burger King 1 ep Restaurant Brands International 1 ep Kraft Heinz 1 ep Hunter Douglas 1 ep Operational Growth 1 ep Risk Management 1 ep Anheuser-Busch InBev 1 ep

Notable quotes

“3G Capital's investment model is to raise capital with the intention of making just one investment per fund.”

Unknown · The Secretive PE Firm Behind Burger King, Tim Hortons, Skechers and Hunter Douglas (3G Capital)

“3G Capital has a greater appreciation for businesses that own the relationship with their end customers, as they are less likely to be disintermediated.”

Daniel Schwartz · The Secretive PE Firm Behind Burger King, Tim Hortons, Skechers and Hunter Douglas (3G Capital)

“The Kraft investment underperformed because 3G Capital did not fully appreciate the risk of its commoditized products being disintermediated by retailer private labels.”

Alex Baring · The Secretive PE Firm Behind Burger King, Tim Hortons, Skechers and Hunter Douglas (3G Capital)

“An initial $80 million investment in Brahma by 3G founders grew to over $60 billion in value, excluding dividends, through a series of acquisitions including Antarctica, Interbrew, and Anheuser-Busch.”

Martin Escobari · Inside General Atlantic: How a $100B Growth Equity Firm Invests

Report last updated: Apr 8, 2026

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