Have you ever wondered how entire retail sectors can be transformed by a small investment firm? Or how a team of astute thinkers can transform underperforming brands into lucrative powerhouses. Modela Capital has been doing just that. Analysts, rivals, and investors have all taken notice of this London-based investment firm in a matter of years. Let’s take a closer look at Modella Capital’s operations, ownership, and the reasons it frequently appears in business news.
Understanding Modella Capital
Modela Capital is not your typical investment firm. Retail and consumer businesses, especially those in need of restructuring or a new strategic direction, are the focus of this boutique private equity firm. The business was first established in August 2022 as Tailer Debtco Limited before changing its name to Modella Capital Limited. Its main office, Modella Capital HQ, is located at 7 Cavendish Place, W1G 0QD, in the centre of London. The group then searches for, assesses, and changes mid-market retail companies in the UK and Western Europe.
Unlike large financial institutions that chase volume, Modella prefers precision. It targets companies with annual turnovers between £10 million and £1 billion, big enough to scale but small enough to steer. This allows the firm to get deeply involved in operations and drive real change rather than just owning financial shares from afar.
Who Owns and Leads Modella Capital
Modella Capital Owner
The firm is privately owned, with Hay Wain Group Limited listed as its controlling entity. This structure allows Modella to remain agile and independent, without the layers of bureaucracy that can slow larger investment groups.
Modella Capital CEO and Leadership
At the helm is Joseph Price, the Managing Director. Price is a Chartered Accountant (ACA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with an extensive background in restructuring, advisory work, and direct investment. Alongside him is Chairman Steve Curtis, a seasoned investor with over four decades of experience in retail, turnaround management, and investment.
Their leadership style is direct and analytical. They value speed, clarity, and bold decision-making. That’s part of why Modella has managed to close multiple large deals within such a short timeframe.
What Modella Capital Invests In
Modella’s investments focus mainly on retail and consumer sectors. The firm looks for companies that have strong brand recognition but face operational or financial challenges. Its goal is to rebuild these companies, modernize their strategies, and restore long-term profitability.
Notable Investments
- Hobbycraft – In 2024, Modella made headlines by acquiring Hobbycraft, one of the UK’s biggest arts and crafts retailers. The deal, made with Bridgepoint Group, signaled Modella’s confidence in niche retail and its ability to revive passion-based consumer brands.
- The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) – Early in 2025, Modella purchased TOFS, a discount retail chain with deep roots in British communities.
- WH Smith High Street Stores – In 2025, Modella agreed to acquire WH Smith’s entire high street business, including over 480 stores. The plan involves rebranding them under the name TGJones while WH Smith continues to focus on its travel division.
- Claire’s UK and Ireland – Later that year, Modella stepped in to acquire 156 Claire’s stores across the UK and Ireland, rescuing around 1,000 jobs after the retailer entered administration.
- Ted Baker Licensee (No Ordinary Designer Label) – The firm previously took an interest in the licensee behind Ted Baker’s operations, another sign of its willingness to engage with complex, distressed situations.
- Crafter’s Companion – A smaller yet meaningful investment that fits Modella’s theme of supporting creative and lifestyle-driven retail sectors.
Each deal showcases a clear pattern: Modella targets consumer-facing businesses that have potential but need operational clarity and financial restructuring.
The Strategy Behind Modella’s Success
Modella doesn’t invest passively. Its team takes an active role in management, restructuring, and strategic direction. That hands-on model separates it from many private equity firms. The company provides not only capital but also advisory support, operational restructuring, and long-term growth plans.
Their formula is straightforward: identify undervalued assets, strengthen leadership, restructure operations, and restore profitability. This approach has allowed Modella to move quickly and confidently, even in sectors that other investors avoid.
In short, Modella’s success lies in its ability to transform uncertainty into opportunity.
The Real Story Behind “Modella Capital Hobbycraft”
One phrase that pops up frequently in search engines is “Modella Capital Hobbycraft.” That’s because the 2024 acquisition of Hobbycraft was a turning point for the firm. The deal represented Modella’s move from small restructurings into larger, high-visibility investments. It showed that the company could manage established brands and unlock new growth.
The Hobbycraft acquisition also made sense strategically. Hobbycraft already had a loyal customer base and strong e-commerce presence. Modella saw an opportunity to modernize operations, optimize supply chains, and expand the brand across new product categories.
Modella Capital’s Net Worth
Since Modella Capital is privately owned, there’s no publicly available number for its total net worth. However, by looking at its acquisitions and capital structure, analysts estimate that its investment portfolio is already worth several hundred million pounds.
Individual filings show net assets around £12.8 million for the company entity itself, but that figure doesn’t capture the full value of its portfolio holdings. Deals like the WH Smith acquisition (around £76 million) and the Hobbycraft buyout significantly increase its total scale.
In short, while Modella’s book value may appear modest, its effective market value as an investment house is far higher.
Careers at Modella Capital
Working at Modella
Modella runs a tight ship. Its team is small but high-caliber, made up of finance professionals, restructuring specialists, and retail strategists. Because of its lean structure, working there means having exposure to every stage of a deal, from sourcing and valuation to restructuring and growth.
Roles typically range from investment analysts and associates to portfolio managers and operations leads. A background in corporate finance, consulting, or retail strategy is valuable. The firm attracts professionals who prefer hands-on work over corporate formality.
Why It Appeals to Talent
For ambitious professionals, a role at Modella Capital offers steep learning curves and rapid responsibility. Unlike large firms where work can be siloed, Modella allows employees to work directly with leadership, management teams, and portfolio companies.
If you want to see how strategy turns into real business change, Modella is the place to be.
Modella Capital HQ and Global Reach
The Modella Capital HQ sits in London, right in the middle of one of the world’s busiest financial districts. From there, the firm manages its UK and European portfolio. While its primary footprint is local, the company’s acquisitions, like Claire’s in Ireland, show that Modella is slowly widening its regional presence.
It hasn’t announced any formal expansion into North America or Asia yet, but that may change as its retail turnaround model matures.
Why Modella Capital’s Model Works
Retail investing is tough. Consumer preferences change fast, rent costs rise, and online competition eats margins. Most investors avoid these businesses. Modella runs toward them. That contrarian strategy is what makes it stand out.
By buying undervalued or distressed retail assets, Modella gets them at low entry prices. It then injects operational discipline, rebrands where necessary, and leverages shared logistics or supply chains across its portfolio.
The result? Higher efficiency and stronger profitability without needing to create new brands from scratch.
Key Risks and Challenges
No investment strategy is perfect. Modella faces several challenges:
- Retail remains volatile, with rising costs and changing consumer behavior.
- Turnarounds can take time, testing both investors and employees.
- Rapid expansion across multiple brands increases operational complexity.
That said, Modella’s leadership seems aware of these challenges and continues to focus on disciplined execution and careful selection of targets.
The Growth Journey in Sequence
- 2022 – Founded as Tailer Debtco Limited, later renamed Modella Capital.
- 2023 – Early moves into the Ted Baker licensing business.
- 2024 – Acquisition of Hobbycraft, establishing credibility in mainstream retail.
- Early 2025 – Purchase of The Original Factory Shop (TOFS).
- Mid-2025 – Acquisition of WH Smith’s high street stores.
- Late 2025 – Buyout of Claire’s UK and Ireland operations.
Each deal built on the last, expanding Modella’s capabilities, geographic reach, and reputation in turnaround investing.
Lessons from Modella Capital’s Rise
Modella Capital proves that deep expertise can still beat scale. It’s not about having billions under management but about knowing where to look and what to fix. The company’s success echoes the same principles that drive high-performance venture firms: spot the value others miss, act decisively, and manage execution with precision.
For those interested in how early-stage capital works in other sectors, you can check out Can Taula Capital Turn Your Startup Into a Unicorn? on Jorbina, which explores how investors identify and scale future unicorns. Both Taula and Modella operate with the same underlying mindset: conviction investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Modella Capital an American company?
No. Modella Capital is based in the United Kingdom, with its main office in London. It focuses primarily on British and Western European investments.
What sectors does Modella Capital focus on?
The firm focuses on retail and consumer brands, particularly those with strong recognition but declining performance. It invests across arts and crafts, fashion, accessories, discount retail, and general merchandise.
What are Modella Capital’s recent investments?
Recent acquisitions include Hobbycraft, The Original Factory Shop, WH Smith’s high street stores, and Claire’s UK and Ireland. These moves show a clear focus on revitalizing well-known but struggling retail brands.
What is the 100-10-1 rule in venture capital?
The 100-10-1 rule means investors review about 100 opportunities, invest in 10, and expect only one to become a major success. It reflects the reality that a small portion of investments drives most returns.
What are the five working capitals?
The five working capitals include human capital (people and skills), financial capital (money and funding), intellectual capital (knowledge and innovation), social capital (relationships and networks), and operational capital (processes and infrastructure).
Final Thoughts
Modella Capital is redefining what smart investing looks like. In a world where most investors chase tech startups and digital ventures, Modella has gone the opposite direction—into the physical retail world that many left for dead. Its strategy is bold, contrarian, and refreshingly practical.
Whether it’s saving hundreds of jobs or turning around legacy brands, Modella’s approach proves that innovation in finance isn’t always about new technology. Sometimes, it’s about bringing old industries back to life with fresh thinking and disciplined execution.
