JH Partners is an investment firm in Northern California that has taken equity in a number of growing brands, including Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Dr. Leonard’s Healthcare Corporation, and Design Within Reach. One of JH Partners’ noteworthy 2012 investments was in Alex and Ani, a unique jewelry company that achieved rapid expansion. Established by Carolyn Rafaelian, Alex and Ani expanded to more than 40 stores at malls nationwide as well as kiosks in Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. The lifestyle brand enjoyed a combination of strong customer loyalty and prominent cobranding opportunities including The Walt Disney Company and the United States Olympic Committee. After taking on 40 percent of Alex and Ani in 2012, JH Partners sold its stake in the company in 2014. Under the terms of the transaction, UK-based Lion Capital purchased the 40-percent stake, with founder Carolyn Rafaelian retaining 60 percent of the company.
0 Comments
Based in San Francisco, California, JH Partners invests in top consumer brands across a variety of markets. Adept at using marketing and branding to boost revenue, JH Partners has managed well-known brands like Peet's Coffee & Tea. Peet’s Coffee & Tea is known for its direct trade program that supplies its organic, fair-trade, and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees. Peet’s-brand certified coffees are held to high social, environmental, and economic standards that the company says shows respect for the farmers who grow the beans. In line with its principles, the company works to establish relationships with its growers by visiting them regularly and paying a premium for top-quality coffee. In addition, Peet’s partners with local organizations and growers to offer education and development opportunities to improve the supply chain and support those in it. Through agronomy training, farmers receive the resources they need to improve quality and realize bigger crop yields. Growers also have access to business skills coaching. JH Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, focuses on crafting effective marketing and sales strategies for its internationally known client brands. Representing brands ranging from salon products to household items and more, JH Partners recently sold its stake in the CHEFS Catalog to the Target Corporation. In operation since 1979 and previously owned by the Neiman Marcus Group, CHEFS Catalog has evolved from a basic catalog company into a multi-channel retailer with impressive revenue and online sales reach. A leading direct-to-consumer specialty kitchen retailer, CHEFS Catalog offers customers professional-quality cookware, bakeware, cutlery and other cooking tools and utensils. Well-known brands sold by CHEFS Catalog include Cuisinart, Le Creuset, KitchenAid, Wusthof and more. The CHEFS target market includes passionate home chefs and foodies who delight in trying new recipes. Under the terms of the sale, CHEFS Catalog will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Target, but will retain its popular brand name. Over the past two decades, JH Partners, LLC, has undertaken equity investments in a diversity of consumer brands that offer dynamic upside potential. Seeking out well-established brand names, JH Partners held a 60 percent stake in the American sportswear brand J.McLaughlin. In late 2015, Brentwood Associates undertook the acquisition of the firm’s stake in the Brooklyn multi-channel retailer, which has put a contemporary spin on classic designs since 1977. Describing Brentwood Associates’ decision to invest in J.McLaughlin, executives singled out its “distinct, timeless” merchandising concept that emphasizes proprietary design and craftsmanship, as well “standout” colors. The company is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of customers spanning upscale urban neighborhoods, premier resort destinations, and suburban main streets. The Brentwood Associates’ team envisioned J.McLaughlin as a core component in its efforts to expand its presence in retail and direct-to-consumer segments. In addition to the “warmly residential” atmosphere of retail locations, which build long-term brand loyalty, the company maintains a seamlessly functioning digital flagship that drives online market growth. From its headquarters in San Francisco, California, JH Partners helps companies around the world raise brand awareness and expand into new markets. Over the years, JH Partners has supported a number of global companies, including TerraCycle. In pursuit of its mission to “Eliminate the Idea of Waste,” TerraCycle partners with municipalities worldwide to implement citywide recycling programs. TerraCycle also works closely with manufacturing companies in creating industrial waste solutions for hard-to-recycle products. Recently, TerraCycle partnered with Suez, a European waste management company, and Procter & Gamble to create the world’s first shampoo bottle made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) beach plastic. The initiative was launched as part of a global effort to reduce plastic waste found on beaches. Due to degradation, this “beach plastic” is notoriously difficult to recycle, but TerraCycle, Suez, and Procter & Gamble have found a way to integrate 25 percent of the material into packaging. Initially, the recycled packaging will be used on a limited-edition bottle for the Head & Shoulders brand. The bottle represents Procter & Gamble’s first step toward its goal of using 25 percent recycled plastic in half a billion of its shampoo bottles sold in Europe. Combined, the 500 million bottles will use 2,600 metric tons of PCR plastic each year. A private equity firm that works to develop and grow consumer brands, JH Partners is invested in developing profitable marketing strategies for some of the world’s largest names. Included in JH Partners' list of clients is Jurlique, one of the leading skin care products providers. Jurlique, which is based in Australia, is partnering with Tesla to create sustainable products through cloud technology. The new innovation is set to give Jurlique an edge against its competitors by using the technology to become more flexible and environment-friendly. In order to achieve this goal, Tesla provided Jurlique with cost-effective Cloud drives which replaced its servers. Since Jurlique was required to add new servers every year, the new optimization reduced necessary hardware purchases while allowing the firm to rely more on the offerings of the Tesla Cloud. Jurlique should now see benefits including better communication within the company, and improving its services for its clients worldwide. SAN FRANCISCO, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- JH Partners, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in investing growth capital in consumer-focused companies, today announced it has agreed to sell its portfolio company CHEFS Catalog to Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT). Financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to close within 30 days, were not disclosed.
CHEFS Catalog is a leading direct-to-consumer specialty retailer of top-rated cookware, bake ware, cutlery, kitchen tools and cooking utensils aimed at inspiring home chefs to create delicious and new recipes. JH Partners acquired Colorado Springs, Colorado-based CHEFS Catalog from The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. in 2004. Upon completion of the transaction, Target will combine CHEFS Catalog with the acquired assets of Cooking.com to create a new, wholly-owned subsidiary of Target aimed at expanding the company's presence in the growing cooking and kitchenware market. Both brands will continue to operate under their current names. "We're delighted with the outcome of our work with CHEFS Catalog's management team, led by Tim Littleton," said Michael John, partner at JH Partners. "CHEFS and the JH Partners teams have worked together to transform Chefs from a single channel catalog company into a true multichannel retailer of great cookware with exceptional revenue and margin growth driven by our online business." Janney Montgomery Scott and Perkins Coie advised JH Partners on the sale of CHEFS Catalog. About CHEFS Catalog CHEFS Catalog is a leading direct-to-consumer specialty retailer of top rated cookware, bake ware, cutlery, kitchen tools and cooking utensils aimed at inspiring home chefs to create delicious and new recipes. Founded in 1979 and based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, CHEFS operates www.chefscatalog.com, and sells leading brands, including All-Clad®, Cuisinart®, Le Creuset®, KitchenAid®, Scanpan®, Wusthof® and more. About JH Partners, LLC Based in San Francisco, JH Partners, LLC, specializes in investing capital in growth-oriented, middle-market consumer products and services companies. JH Partners, LLC distinguishes itself among private equity firms with its decades of relevant operating experience among its professional investment team and the deep understanding of consumer markets that comes with the firm's narrow investment focus. Among the firm's 24 current and past investments are such well-known brands as Bare Escentuals, J.McLaughlin, Frette, Alex and Ani, Design Within Reach, Jurlique, and Peet's Coffee & Tea. JH Partners manages approximately $1 billion in private equity commitments. Additional information on JH Partners, LLC may be found at www.jhpartners.com. |
AuthorA firm actively investing in retail brands, JH Partners executes a business strategy focused on companies that directly serve consumers in the United States and abroad. Archives
September 2017
Categories
All
|