Christopher Stradling
Managing Director & Co-Head of Consumer
Chicago Mergers & Acquisitions Consumer | Food & Beverage cstradling@lincolninternational.com +1 (312) 580-8325My passion is positioning high-quality businesses for maximum valuation. I thoroughly enjoy partnering with business owners to reach their goals through life-changing transactions.
As Co-Head of Lincoln’s Consumer Group in the U.S., Chris leads the firm’s consumer product initiatives and advises companies on mergers and acquisitions. Through a hands-on style of processing deals, Chris develops close relationships with owners and management to learn the priorities of all stakeholders and position companies for maximum valuation.
Chris and his teams lead highly strategic processes that consistently yield outlier valuations by identifying and amplifying his clients’ unique points of differentiation. His notable food and beverage (F&B) transaction experience highlights his ability to partner with diverse F&B companies to achieve tremendous outcomes such as the following recent transactions:
- FreshPure Waters: The sale to TowerBrook Capital Partners
- Highland Baking Company: The sale to Europastry
- McClancy Foods & Flavors: The sale to NovaTaste
- No Man’s Land Foods: The sale to Bansk Group
- DeIorio Foods: The sale to Encore Consumer Capital
Beyond his core leadership in F&B, Chris brings significant experience leading transactions across a broad spectrum of consumer verticals, including the active lifestyle, e-commerce, functional apparel, home furnishings and merchandising sectors.
Chris brings practical life experience having spent his pre-college years deeply involved in running his family’s business, as well as post-educational stints working in operations and corporate development in a Fortune 500 company and auditing large companies at a major global accounting firm.
Chris holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University.
Perspectives featuring Christopher Stradling
News & Media featuring Christopher Stradling
NACD | The 2025 M&A Landscape: Recalibrating Expectations
Originally published by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) on September 30, 2025 Despite strong tailwinds heading into 2025, including high levels of dry powder in private equity and… Read More about NACD | The 2025 M&A Landscape: Recalibrating Expectations
PitchBook | PE Exits Decline 25% in Q2 as Deal Activity Cools
Originally published by PitchBook on July 8, 2025 New PitchBook data shows the long-awaited resurgence of deal activity in private markets was delayed once again in Q2, confirming the private… Read More about PitchBook | PE Exits Decline 25% in Q2 as Deal Activity Cools
Lincoln International adds Joe Sparacino as Managing Director, Expanding Auto Aftermarket Coverage
New hires join in newly introduced Boston office Lincoln International, a global investment banking advisory firm, is pleased to announce that Joe Sparacino has joined as a Managing Director. His… Read More about Lincoln International adds Joe Sparacino as Managing Director, Expanding Auto Aftermarket Coverage
Lincoln International adds Brian Little as Managing Director
Lincoln International, a global investment banking advisory firm, is pleased to announce that Brian Little has joined as a Managing Director in the firm’s Consumer Group in Los Angeles. Brian will provide… Read More about Lincoln International adds Brian Little as Managing Director
Meet our Senior Team in Mergers & Acquisitions & Consumer
Firm details on FINRA’s BrokerCheck