Astor Capital LLC, the New York and Rio de Janeiro based venture capital firm, announced today that it has made a strategic investment in the US based operator of El Corral, the leading gourmet hamburger brand in Latin America. The investment will help fund the company's geographic expansion and accelerate the growth of the popular El Corral brand.

The fast casual restaurant chain will launch its first US location in Miami this December and plans to aggressively expand nationwide. By offering select locally grown vegetables, 100% certified Angus beef, and a broad pallet of exceptional gourmet toppings, El Corral lets customers craft over 16,000 delicious combinations.

"We are delighted to partner with the owners and operators of El Corral. With a long tradition built on serving exceptional gourmet food in a unique setting, we believe that El Corral can become the premier destination in the growing better burger segment" said Seth Zalkin, Astor Capital's managing partner. "We look forward to working with the El Corral team to build on three decades of success and introduce North American customers to Latin America's leading upscale hamburger."

Claudio Arcuri, CEO, said, "Astor Capital provides El Corral with much more than capital but with extensive experience in the food and beverage industry. This partnership allows us to bring the outstanding food of El Corral® to guests across the country and provide outstanding career opportunities for our current and future team members."

About El Corral
Headquartered in Bogota, Colombia, El Corral has set the standard for hamburger cuisine since opening its first location in 1983. The Company delivers unrivaled ingredients in a stylishly festive atmosphere. Today, the company operates over 200 restaurants throughout Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Panama.

About Astor Capital
Astor Capital invests in compelling consumer brands and innovative technology companies throughout the Americas. Providing far more than just capital, Astor Capital leverages a unique combination of investment capital, a team of professionals with experience operating some of the world's premier consumer brands and an extensive industry network. With offices in New York and Rio de Janeiro, Astor Capital partners with outstanding entrepreneurs that have the passion to build exceptional businesses.