On 16 October 2025, Singapore’s F&B and retail leaders gathered at The Rainbow Bistro for the latest edition of StaffAny’s Leaders’ Lounge. This time, the conversation turned from operations to ownership, with a candid fireside chat on mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
The event featured special guest Eldred Wee, Founder and Managing Director of Edenity, an M&A advisory firm for Singapore SMEs. In conversation with StaffAny’s co-founder Janson Seah, Eldred shared real-world insights on what it really takes to prepare a business for a successful exit.
Understanding M&A and Exits in Plain Terms
“M&A is the highest form of partnership,” Eldred began. “But no partnership happens without relationships.” Whether you’re selling your business or raising funds, the minute money changes hands, you’re accountable to someone else.
He also clarified the difference between a merger and an acquisition. Mergers are framed as partnerships, like a marriage. Acquisitions, on the other hand, are more like 100 percent buyouts.
For founders thinking about an exit within the next three to five years, Eldred stressed that leaders should think about their ideal acquirer and what would make your business the most attractive partner to them.
While doing so, he also advised F&B leaders to identify their deal breakers when it comes to M&As. From there you can determine your ideal stakeholder and the pool from which you can find them.
Define What You Want from ‘Valuations’
Eldred also wanted to clarify how people think about valuation. Valuation should not be the be all and end all when it comes to mergers and acquisitions, and not all valuations are the same.
The key thing to focus on in valuations is the end result you want from it, whether it’s to cash out or to grow your business further.
He cautioned founders to be honest with themselves and their buyers. “M&A is like a relationship. You need to talk about your deal-breakers early. Do not wait until the honeymoon phase is over to bring them up.”
A Community That Shares Beyond Drinks
After the fireside chat, the air buzzed with a lively questions and answers session. Attendees stayed long after the fireside chat to network and build a list of like-minded and resilient business leaders, likely while discussing their own exit strategies over good food and drinks.
All this wrapped up the fourth Leaders’ Lounge of 2025, which once again achieved its goal of sharing useful business and leadership insights and to strengthen the food & beverage industry community in Singapore and beyond.
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