Last month, it was reported that Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and state-owned holding company Temasek were thinking about investing in memes. Okay, not really, but they do want a stake in the Salt Bae brand, which apparently costs a little over a billion dollars.
Together with London-based investment firm Metric Capital, GIC and Temasek are reportedly in talks over a potential purchase of D.ream, the owner of Salt Bae’s (real name Nusret Gokce) steakhouse chain Nusr-Et, Financial Times reported. According to a Reuters report yesterday, Temasek and Metric Capital have already taken the plunge and paid US$200 million for a 17 percent holding.
As such, the deal values D.ream at US$1.2 billion — which is proof that being a living meme will rake in serious cash. Including the Nusr-Et Steakhouse and Nusr-Et Burger chains, the Turkish firm has a presence in 170 locations in 12 countries, Reuters noted.
Though Salt Bae’s New York steakhouse outpost hasn’t exactly received favorable reviews (rubbery and bland steaks, absurd prices) loads of patrons continue flocking to the restaurant for the opportunity to have their meat blessed by Gokce himself.
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