Plein Air Co-CEOs Paul McEnany (left) and Jason Abelkop [Composite image; source: LinkedIn/DI Studio]
Dallas-based Plein Air is a marketing, technology, and data consultancy that helps restaurant and retail brands “unleash creativity, improve perceptions and create agility to power profitable growth.” It now has more means to do that after getting a strategic investment from L.A.-based Coral Tree Partners, a private equity firm focused on media, marketing services, and marketing technology businesses.
While the amount of the investment was not disclosed, Plein Air said it would fuel the agency’s continued expansion, technology innovation, and delivery of high-touch services to its growing roster of restaurant and retail clients.
“Plein Air was built to solve real, on-the-ground challenges for restaurant and retail brands, and that mindset hasn’t changed as we’ve grown,” Plein Air Co-CEO Jason Abelkop said in a statement. “This partnership with Coral Tree allows us to double down on what we do best and provide differentiated service and solutions for our client partners.”
‘Founded by restaurant people for restaurant people’
Founded in 2016, Plein Air said it has become “a trusted partner” to restaurant and retail brands of all sizes, centered around solving problems specific to these industries.
Offering a focus on tailored strategies and agile technology solutions, the agency works collaboratively with operators to unlock performance across marketing, digital experience, and loyalty channels.
In 2023, Plein Air launched Big Colony, a restaurant marketing tech platform for mobile, web, and kiosk applications that’s used in over 15,000 locations—including pizza, ice cream & snacks, QSR, fast‑casual, casual, virtual, and multi‑brand concepts.
“Plein Air was founded by restaurant people for restaurant people,” Abelkop said at the time of the Big Colony launch, “and our passions are around finding new and better ways to make the brands we work with stronger, smarter and more relevant every day. With Big Colony, we’re bringing that same mindset to the digital guest experience, giving brands the customization they deserve on an infrastructure that can actually scale.”
Offering a ‘white-glove approach’
Co-CEO Paul McEnany said that as demand for more integrated, data-driven marketing solutions continues to grow, “it’s critical that we scale without losing the white-glove approach our clients value.”
“Coral Tree is a true partner who understands our industry, our culture, and our long-term vision,” he added. “With their support, we’re excited to accelerate innovation across Plein Air and Big Colony while broadening our impact and staying deeply client-focused.”
Plein Air’s restaurant clients have included Bojangles, True Food Kitchen, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Main Event, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Jim ‘N Nick’s. Big Colony’s clients have included Cold Stone Creamery, MrBeast Burger, Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe, and Goop Kitchen.
75 clients across restaurants and retail
With a team of 120, Plein Air supports more than 75 clients across the restaurant and retail industries. The agency emphasizes a remote‑first “really open office” model, with team members distributed across many U.S. states.
Will Wynperle, a partner at Coral Tree, said Plein Air “brings a rare combination of deep industry expertise, strong client relationships, and a genuine passion for building differentiated technology.”
“Jason, Paul, and the broader Plein Air team have built a special organization,” he added, “and we’re excited to support them as they continue to scale the platform organically and via strategic acquisitions, invest in innovation through Big Colony, and deliver exceptional outcomes for their clients.”
Canaccord Genuity served as financial advisor and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP served as legal advisor to Plein Air on the transaction. Goodwin Procter LLP served as legal advisor to Coral Tree Partners.
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