California Pizza Kitchen Just Sold for $300 Million—And the New Owners Are Ready to Deliver

An investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners is acquiring the iconic pizza chain.

By Jonathan Small | edited by Jessica Thomas | Dec 22, 2025

California Pizza Kitchen, known for its unconventional toppings like BBQ chicken, is changing hands again. An investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners plans to acquire the chain.

The deal, scheduled to close this month, is valued at just under $300 million, according to Reuters. The new owners say CPK is positioning itself for “a new era of growth” with franchise expansion, new products and enhanced retail presence.

Founded in 1985 in Beverly Hills by two former federal prosecutors, CPK brought twists like Thai chicken and California Club to pizza. The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2020 during the pandemic, but CPK has since recovered and now operates more than 120 restaurants in 10 countries, plus sells frozen pizzas in over 10,000 grocery stores and is piloting vending machines in airports.

Read more

California Pizza Kitchen, known for its unconventional toppings like BBQ chicken, is changing hands again. An investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners plans to acquire the chain.

The deal, scheduled to close this month, is valued at just under $300 million, according to Reuters. The new owners say CPK is positioning itself for “a new era of growth” with franchise expansion, new products and enhanced retail presence.

Founded in 1985 in Beverly Hills by two former federal prosecutors, CPK brought twists like Thai chicken and California Club to pizza. The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2020 during the pandemic, but CPK has since recovered and now operates more than 120 restaurants in 10 countries, plus sells frozen pizzas in over 10,000 grocery stores and is piloting vending machines in airports.

Read more

The rest of this article is locked.

Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

Subscribe Now

Already have an account? Sign In

Jonathan Small

Founder, Strike Fire Productions at Strike Fire Productions
Entrepreneur Staff
Jonathan Small is a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV...

Related Content