Dallas is home to 21 Fortune 500 headquarters and one of the most active consumer M&A markets in the US. This covers 11 consumer M&A advisors in Dallas for retail, food and beverage, and consumer goods deals in 2026.
Consumer M&A in Dallas in 2026
Dallas has 21 Fortune 500 headquarters and ranks 5th in total US metro GDP at $744.6B.
Food and beverage, retail, and consumer products are the most active M&A sub-sectors in Dallas in 2026.
Use secure file sharing to protect brand data and SKU files before advisor meetings. Consumer brand data is highly sensitive before NDA.
See the Dallas business services advisor guide for advisors covering consumer-adjacent services platforms.
| Advisor | Deal Type | Deal Size | Sector Focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generational Group | Generational Group | Both | $25M - $1B | Consumer, industrial, healthcare, technology | generational.com |
| Lincoln International | Lincoln International | Both | $25M - $500M | Consumer, industrial, healthcare | lincolninternational.com |
| Houlihan Lokey | Houlihan Lokey | Both | $25M - $5B+ | Consumer, retail, food and beverage, household goods | hl.com |
| Solomon Partners | Solomon Partners | Both | $50M - $2B+ | Consumer, retail, food and beverage, restaurants | solomonpartners.com |
| Harris Williams | Harris Williams | Both | $50M - $1B+ | Consumer, retail, healthcare services | harriswilliams.com |
| Piper Sandler | Piper Sandler | Both | $25M - $2B+ | Consumer, retail, food and beverage, household goods | pipersandler.com |
| William Blair | William Blair | Both | $25M - $1B+ | Consumer, retail, growth equity, cross-border buyers | williamblair.com |
| Kratos Capital | Kratos Capital | Both | $25M - $300M | Consumer, business services, industrial, tech | kratoscap.com |
| Telos Capital Advisors | Telos Capital Advisors | Both | $10M - $150M | Consumer, manufacturing, distribution | teloscapital.com |
| MDR & Associates | MDR & Associates | Both | $1M - $100M revenue | Consumer, manufacturing, distribution | mdrma.com |
| ESA Mergers | ESA Mergers | Sell-side | $5M - $100M revenue | Consumer, food and beverage, retail, manufacturing | esamergers.com |
How consumer deals are structured
Consumer M&A in Dallas splits between strategic acquisitions and PE platform builds in roughly equal volume.
Food and restaurant deals carry earnouts tied to same-store sales or royalty milestones.
Retail and consumer products deals are priced on EBITDA with inventory and lease adjustments.
Read our types of mergers and acquisitions guide to understand how deal structures differ by sub-sector. Structure affects earnout timing, tax treatment, and working capital terms.
Running a consumer M&A deal in Dallas?
Set up your data room before your first advisor meeting.
Start free 14-day trialWhat a consumer M&A deal looks like
Consumer M&A deals typically run five to seven months from engagement to close. Deals without a QoE or complete data room at engagement take nine to twelve months.
| What happens | What you need ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Preparation | QoE, CIM draft, advisor selection | Three years financials, brand assets, distributor list |
| Stage 2: Advisor engagement | Engagement letter signed, CIM finalized | QoE signed off, management team briefed |
| Stage 3: Marketing | CIM sent to 50-200 qualified buyers | Ellty data room with CIM and brand overview live |
| Stage 4: LOI | Management presentations, IOIs, LOI negotiation | Management team rehearsed, key metrics memorized |
| Stage 5: Due diligence | Confirmatory diligence: financial, legal, brand IP | Full data room with contracts, IP, and SKU margins |
| Stage 6: Close | Purchase agreement, closing conditions, wire | All reps verified, escrow instructions confirmed |
11 consumer M&A advisors in Dallas
These 11 firms actively close consumer deals in Dallas in 2026. Coverage spans food and beverage, retail, consumer goods, restaurants, and DTC brands.
1. Generational Group
Generational Group is the highest-volume M&A boutique in Dallas with 1,800+ closed transactions. The consumer team runs food, beverage, retail, and consumer products sell-side processes nationally.
Recent Deals: Priority Home Care to Arcus Health Services (Feb 6, 2025); Ace Controls to Blackford Capital (Jan 16, 2025). Active in consumer and industrial M&A through 2025-2026 with LSEG top rankings from 2022-2024.
LinkedIn: Generational Group on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, industrial, healthcare, technology
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $1B
Location: Dallas, TX (national coverage)
Website: generational.com
2. Lincoln International
Lincoln International ranked #2 globally for PE sell-side advisory from 2019-2025. Their Dallas office covers consumer, healthcare, and industrials with a focus on PE-backed exits.
Recent Deals: Generated $214.1M net income in 2025, a 31% increase from 2024. Filed for NYSE IPO in 2026 under ticker LCLN. Active in consumer and industrial M&A through 2025-2026 with a Dallas presence.
LinkedIn: Lincoln International on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, industrial, healthcare services
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $500M
Location: Dallas, TX and global coverage
Website: lincolninternational.com
3. Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey ranked #1 M&A advisor globally by deal count in H1 2025 and has dedicated consumer coverage. Their consumer and retail team covers food, beverage, household goods, and specialty retail.
Recent Deals: Ranked #1 M&A advisor globally by deal count for multiple consecutive years. The consumer and retail group posted 18% advisory revenue growth year-over-year in Q3 FY2026.
LinkedIn: Houlihan Lokey on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, retail, food and beverage, household goods
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $5B+
Location: Dallas, TX and global coverage
Website: hl.com
4. Solomon Partners
Solomon Partners is one of the most specialized consumer and retail M&A boutiques in the US. The firm covers food, beverage, consumer products, retail, and restaurant brands for PE-backed exits.
Recent Deals: Active in consumer, retail, and restaurant M&A through 2025-2026. Solomon Partners is frequently cited as the leading consumer-focused boutique for mid-market brands targeting strategic acquirers and PE firms.
LinkedIn: Solomon Partners on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, retail, food and beverage, restaurants
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $2B+
Location: New York, NY (national coverage including Dallas)
Website: solomonpartners.com
5. Harris Williams
Harris Williams runs tight sell-side processes for consumer, retail, and healthcare platforms in the mid-market. The consumer team is consistently ranked among the most active mid-market consumer M&A advisors nationally.
Recent Deals: Active in consumer and retail M&A through 2025-2026. Harris Williams is among the most active sell-side advisors for PE-backed consumer platforms targeting strategic acquirers and large PE funds.
LinkedIn: Harris Williams on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, retail, healthcare services
Deal Type: Both (primarily sell-side)
Deal Size: $50M - $1B+
Location: Richmond, VA (national coverage including Dallas)
Website: harriswilliams.com
Selling a Dallas consumer brand?
Share brand docs and SKU margin data with buyers through Ellty.
Start free 14-day trial6. Piper Sandler
Piper Sandler has dedicated consumer and retail coverage across food, household goods, and specialty retail. The consumer team was part of Piper Sandler's record revenue year in 2025, up 28% year-over-year.
Recent Deals: Named 2025 Outstanding M&A Investment Bank by the Global M&A Network. Active in consumer, retail, and household goods M&A through 2025-2026 with dedicated Dallas consumer coverage.
LinkedIn: Piper Sandler on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, retail, food and beverage, household goods
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $2B+
Location: Dallas, TX and national coverage
Website: pipersandler.com
7. William Blair
William Blair covers consumer and retail M&A with a growth equity lens for omnichannel and DTC brands. Their consumer team provides cross-border buyer access including European CPG acquirers.
Recent Deals: Active in consumer and retail M&A through 2025-2026. William Blair covers Dallas consumer companies with cross-border buyer access to European strategic acquirers and global CPG platforms.
LinkedIn: William Blair on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, retail, growth equity, cross-border buyers
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $1B+
Location: Chicago, IL and national coverage (Dallas office)
Website: williamblair.com
8. Kratos Capital
Kratos Capital is a Dallas boutique ranked in Axial's Top 100 LMM Investment Banks in both 2024 and 2025. The consumer team covers specialty food, beverage, retail, and consumer services.
Recent Deals: 300+ closed transactions. Sub-sector teams cover consumer, business services, industrial, and tech in the $25M-$150M EV range under Managing Director Patrick Glaske.
LinkedIn: Kratos Capital on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, business services, industrial, technology
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $300M
Location: Dallas, TX
Website: kratoscap.com
9. Telos Capital Advisors
Telos Capital Advisors is a Plano boutique ranked in Axial's Top 100 LMM Advisors for multiple consecutive years. The team covers consumer, manufacturing, and distribution deals in the DFW metro.
Recent Deals: Consistent 2024-2026 deal flow in consumer, manufacturing, and distribution across the DFW metro. Senior bankers personally lead every engagement at Telos.
LinkedIn: Telos Capital Advisors on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, manufacturing, distribution
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $10M - $150M
Location: Plano, TX (DFW metro)
Website: teloscapital.com
10. MDR & Associates
MDR & Associates has closed 225+ transactions across consumer, manufacturing, and distribution in Dallas. The firm serves owner-operators across the full DFW metro with multiple office locations.
Recent Deals: Consistent 2024-2026 DFW consumer and manufacturing deal flow. MDR covers owner-operator exits across the full metro with direct regional PE and family office relationships.
LinkedIn: MDR & Associates on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, manufacturing, distribution, construction
Deal Type: Both (primarily sell-side)
Deal Size: $1M - $100M revenue
Location: Dallas, TX (multiple metro offices)
Website: mdrma.com
11. ESA Mergers
ESA Mergers specializes in DFW family-owned and founder-led consumer, food, and retail businesses. The team focuses exclusively on sell-side engagements for Texas-based consumer owners and founders.
Recent Deals: Consistent 2024-2026 DFW family and founder consumer sale flow. ESA understands Texas succession dynamics and owner-operator exit structures across food, retail, and consumer sub-sectors.
LinkedIn: ESA Mergers on LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, food and beverage, retail, manufacturing
Deal Type: Sell-side
Deal Size: $5M - $100M revenue
Location: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Website: esamergers.com
How PE views Dallas consumer M&A
PE funds acquiring Dallas consumer businesses look for category leadership in a defined channel first. A defined niche matters more than revenue size for most consumer PE investments.
Omnichannel capability across retail, DTC, and wholesale is the most valued operational trait. Single-channel consumer businesses trade at a significant discount to omnichannel platforms.
Customer retention data and repeat purchase rates are what PE buyers probe most in diligence. High churn in a consumer business raises questions about brand strength and product-market fit.
Private equity funds active in Dallas consumer include Lone Star and emerging DTC-focused growth equity firms.
Food vs retail vs consumer goods M&A
Food and beverage M&A in Dallas moves faster than retail - buyers are clearer on what they are acquiring. SKU count, margin by product line, and distributor relationships are the key metrics.
Consumer goods and CPG deals are more structurally complex. Brand value, IP ownership, and manufacturing contract terms all require separate due diligence streams.
Use granular permissions to share different data packages with strategic vs PE buyers. Strategics need SKU-level margin data - PE buyers need customer cohort data and DTC channel economics.
Regional vs national advisor choice
Dallas boutiques like Kratos Capital and Telos run tight consumer processes in the $10M-$150M EV range. Senior bankers lead every engagement and know the regional buyer pool well.
National banks like Houlihan Lokey and Harris Williams are better suited for deals above $150M. They bring broader strategic buyer coverage, including international CPG acquirers.
Use dynamic watermarking on all brand documents and channel data shared with buyers. Consumer brand documents are shared widely - watermarks deter unauthorized distribution.
See the Dallas M&A advisor overview before shortlisting consumer advisors. It covers how the full Dallas M&A market is structured by sector and deal size.
How Ellty helps you run a Dallas consumer M&A deal
You have your Dallas consumer advisor shortlist ready. Here is how to prepare your data room before buyers start reviewing your brand.
- 1.Upload brand docs, SKU data, and customer retention filesAdd three years of P&L, SKU margin schedules, and customer retention data before buyer outreach. Organize files by product category before uploading to the data room.
- 2.Set document access by NDA status and buyer typeShare brand overview and revenue summary before NDA is signed. Open SKU-level margin data and customer concentration files after NDA.
- 3.Monitor which buyers review your channel dataSee which buyers open your SKU margin schedule and how long they spend on customer data. Buyers who spend time on retention data and margins are seriously evaluating your brand.
Common questions about Dallas consumer M&A advisors
- Solomon Partners is the most specialized consumer and restaurant boutique nationally. For sub-$100M food and beverage deals in Dallas, Kratos Capital and Generational Group are the most active.
- Dallas boutiques typically charge 2-3% blended on sub-$150M consumer deals with a $25K-$75K retainer credited at close. National banks charge higher minimums suited for deals above $150M.
- Food and beverage companies trade at EBITDA multiples adjusted for brand strength, channel mix, and distributor relationships. Retail businesses are priced on EBITDA with lease and inventory adjustments.
- Before you pitch advisors - not after engagement. Organize SKU margin schedules, customer retention data, and three years of P&L before you contact a single advisor.
- For sub-$150M consumer deals in Dallas, a boutique is almost always the better choice. National banks are better suited for deals above $150M targeting international CPG acquirers.
