Tengram Capital Partners has completed the fundraising of it first institutional fund with $173 million of commitments, exceeding its target fund size of $150 million.
The new fund received commitments from an array of institutional and individual investors, including endowments, pension plans, alternative asset managers, and large family offices. “The team at Tengram is thrilled to have the trust and support of a strong group of long-term investors. We value their partnership and look forward to working on their behalf,” said Matthew Eby, Co- Founder and Managing Partner.
Tengram used Mt. Vernon Group (www.mtvernongroup.com) and Triple A Partners (www.tripleapartners.net) as placement agents.
Tengram Capital Partners invests in companies in the branded consumer products and retail sectors. Specific areas of interest include apparel, sporting goods, consumer electronics, home furnishings, health and beauty, spirits, and food & beverages. Tengram was founded in 2010 by William Sweedler and Matthew Eby. Richard Gersten joined as a Partner in 2011. Together, they have spent almost 50 years operating and investing in branded consumer businesses.
Tengram is based in Westport, CT (www.tengramcapital.com).
“Rich, Matt and I have unique, complementary backgrounds that together bring a collective expertise that differentiates our partnership from many consumer investors. Tengram’s core philosophy is that brands are the most vital and valuable part of the consumer experience,” said William Sweedler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner. “The partners, along with our consumer focused investment team, will continue to attract unique and proprietary investment opportunities in our areas of expertise, including apparel, home, sporting goods, retail, health and beauty, and food and beverage.”
To date, Tengram’s first fund has invested in Robert Graham (luxury men’s and women’s apparel), Sequential Brands Group (a portfolio of consumer brands), NEST Fragrances (home fragrances), and Laura Geller Beauty (cosmetics).
“We work closely with our management teams and strive to create strong partnerships founded on a basis of trust. Our partnership approach resonates with many founder and family-led businesses that are seeking the operating expertise and intellectual capital to help grow their businesses,” said Richard Gersten, Partner.
© 2013 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 4-16-13