North Castle Partners has made an investment in SmartyPants Vitamins, a developer, marketer and distributor of children’s and adult’s gummy vitamins and supplements. CircleUp Growth Fund co-invested in this transaction alongside North Castle.
SmartyPants Vitamins was founded in 2010 by Co-CEOs Courtney Nichols Gould and Gordon Gould. The company’s core products include Kids Complete, Kids Fiber, Adult Complete, Adult Fiber and PreNatal vitamins. The company is headquartered in Venice, CA (www.smartypantsvitamins.com).
“SmartyPants is one of the most attractive businesses we have seen in the nutritional supplement industry. The company’s strong product foundation, brand positioning and mission driven approach differentiates its prospects in a crowded category,” said Alison Minter, North Castle Managing Director.
North Castle makes control investments in consumer-driven product and service companies located in North America with enterprise values ranging from $50 million to $500 million. Sectors of interest include beauty and personal care; consumer health; fitness, recreation and sports; home and leisure; and nutrition. North Castle is headquartered in Greenwich, CT (www.northcastlepartners.com).
“North Castle’s mass market and Internet distribution experience, coupled by its expertise in product and channel expansion, will be an invaluable resource as SmartyPants continues its growth year-over-year,” said Mr. Gould.
The investment in SmartyPants is North Castle’s 8th investment in the dietary and nutritional supplements industry. Earlier this month, the firm acquired a controlling interest in Atlanta-based Sprout Organic Foods (www.sproutorganicfoods.com), a developer, marketer, and distributor of organic foods primarily serving the baby and toddler market.
© 2015 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 7-27-15