Salt & Straw
Dining · 58+ locations · Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, San Diego, and other cities across 10 states
Private equity firm KarpReilly and Danny Meyer's growth-equity fund have backed this small-batch ice cream chain since 2017, with Dwayne Johnson joining in 2019. Co-founders Kim and Tyler Malek still run it, and are now exploring a sale reported at more than $200 million.
The Big Picture
Salt & Straw's small-batch, Portland-born image sits alongside institutional money: private equity firm KarpReilly and Danny Meyer's growth-equity fund have held minority stakes since 2017, and it is now exploring a sale reported at more than $200 million. Co-founders Kim and Tyler Malek still run it, but a 2020 California class action alleging missed meal and rest breaks was still unresolved at the last confirmed record, in February 2024.
The Dirty Details
Ownership
Enlightened Hospitality InvestmentsGrowth Equity
Enlightened Hospitality Investments is the growth fund founded by restaurateur Danny Meyer (Union Square Hospitality Group, Shake Shack), investing minority stakes in hospitality and food brands it wants to help scale. Its style is hands-on operational support with founders staying in charge.
See all Enlightened Hospitality Investments companies on FerretWhat do these scores mean? Learn more.
Make a New Choice
Company data last updated September 2026
How does one person build and research all this? They don't: here's how it actually works. Verdicts are our opinions, based on the public sources cited above as of September 2026. Spotted something off? or learn more.