The Riverside Company has acquired Kyjen Company, a designer and distributor of branded dog toys.
Kyjen Company is a designer and distributor of branded dog toys. Kyjen’s products are differentiated by their focus on promoting mental and physical wellbeing of dogs by encouraging problem solving, mental stimulation and engagement with humans. Kyjen sells its Plush Puppies, Invincibles, Outward Hound and Dog Games products through more than 100 distributors and 1,100 retailers. Kyjen’s products range from high-quality interactive dog toys to outdoor and travel gear for dogs. The company is based in Centennial, CO (www.shop.kyjen.com).
“As people become more aware of their dogs’ needs for stimulating play, pet accessories are a growing industry, and Kyjen is poised to be able to meet those increasing demands,” said Riverside Partner Joe Lee. “They are outstanding at developing new products and uncovering unmet needs, and we look forward to helping them continue to innovate.”
Riverside will work to increase Kyjen’s market penetration, continuing to strengthen the company’s history of strong product innovation and supporting the sales and marketing functions.
“Kyjen provides a lot more than simple dog toys and accessories,” said Riverside Managing Partner Loren Schlachet. “Their products create fun and interactive experiences that enrich dogs’ lives. We see tremendous upside in this innovative company.”
Assistant Vice President Stephen Rice, Associate Danielle Leimbach and Operating Partner Jeff Goodman worked with Mr. Schlachet and Mr. Lee on the transaction for Riverside. Centralized CFO Dan Stankey served as Finance Director on the deal. Regional Director, Origination Jeremy Holland originated the deal for Riverside and Vice President Dan Haynes worked on financing the transaction for the firm.
The Riverside Company is a private equity firm focused on the smaller end of the middle market (“SEMM”). Riverside specializes in investing in SEMM companies (those valued up to $250 million) and partners with management teams to build companies through acquisitions and value-added growth. Since 1988, the firm has invested in more than 310 transactions with a total enterprise value of more than $6 billion. The firm’s current portfolio includes more than 70 companies. The Riverside Company is headquartered in New York with additional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London (www.riversidecompany.com).
Deerpath provided the financing, Jones Day advised, and West Monroe provided IT and operational diligence for Riverside on the transaction.
© 2013 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 9-4-13