April 29, 2014
Swander Pace Capital Closes $350M Fund V
San Francisco and New Jersey – Swander Pace Capital, a leading private equity firm with a successful track record of growing consumer products companies, has announced the close of its fifth and largest fund. Fund V closed on Dec. 31, 2013, with $350 million in commitments from top-tier institutional investors, endowments, and family offices. SPC Partners V, L.P. will pursue the firm’s time-tested strategy of investing in world-class consumer products companies and maximizing growth through working with experienced management, expanding marketing and distribution efforts, implementing operational efficiencies, and targeting strategic add-on acquisitions.
“We are honored to have once again attracted a best-in-class group of limited partners that recognize Swander Pace’s track record of success and ability to provide strong returns to investors. Our team’s commitment to, and execution of, our investment strategy has built Swander Pace into a leading middle-market consumer products private equity firm and valued partner to family-run or entrepreneurially driven businesses,” said Andrew Richards, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Swander Pace. “Fund V is the largest fund in our firm’s history, and we are eager to continue implementing our strategy of proprietary deal sourcing and strategic and tactical value addition that we have honed by staying focused on consumer products for the past 18 years. The consistency of our focus in the consumer sector has built a set of playbooks we can replicate with each new investment that include growth strategies, channel migration, marketing, operational improvement or cost reductions. The execution of this strategy over our past four funds has enabled Swander Pace to identify, acquire and partner with high-potential consumer product companies that are in attractive niche sectors.”
Fund V will focus on growing manufacturers and marketers of consumer products with revenues up to $400 million. The firm seeks to invest in businesses with leading market positions in attractive, defensible industry niches and works primarily with entrepreneurs and families to implement strategic and tactical playbooks to drive revenue growth and improve operating performance. Swander Pace has substantial experience in the consumer products industry, including in sectors such as food and beverage, health and wellness, natural and organic, beauty and personal care, household products, pet products, soft goods and accessories, juvenile products, and ingredients, among many others.
“The partners at Swander Pace Capital are thrilled to welcome back our existing limited partners and welcome our new LPs to Fund V,” said Mark Poff, Managing Director at Swander Pace. “We are grateful for the strong support we received from our existing investors and believe that support is a validation of our strategy, focus, and performance. Swander Pace is well positioned to leverage the success of our preceding funds and our deep expertise in the consumer sector, and we are excited to execute our strategy in this new fund. We have already begun investing Fund V with the successful acquisitions of glo Professional Inc., Aden & Anais Inc. and Recochem Inc.”
About Swander Pace Capital
Swander Pace Capital is a leading private equity firm specializing in investments in growth-oriented, middle-market consumer products companies in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Since its inception in 1996, Swander Pace Capital has applied its consumer products expertise pursuing a consistent strategy of acquiring or investing in consumer products companies with leading market positions in attractive, defensible niches. With staff in San Francisco, New Jersey, and Ontario (Toronto), Swander Pace Capital provides portfolio companies with a unique mix of financial and strategic consulting support to create long-term value. Swander Pace Capital has raised over $1.3 billion of equity capital through five private equity funds and has led successful investments in more than 40 consumer products companies with total revenues in excess of $2.0 billion.