Bregal Partners has made a growth investment in Ju-Ju-Be International, a lifestyle brand in the juvenile products industry. Bregal’s investment in Ju-Ju-Be was made in partnership with the company’s founders, Joseph Croft and Kristin Hunziker, who remain significant shareholders in the business.
Ju-Ju-Be is a provider of premium diaper bags, backpacks, and accessories that are available in a variety of styles, sizes, and on-trend print designs. The company’s diaper bags are famous for their functionality as they are machine washable and have ample pockets and storage. Ju-Ju-Be is headquartered near Los Angeles in Costa Mesa, CA (www.ju-ju-be.com).
Mary George, who Bregal has known for nearly two decades, will join the Ju-Ju-Be team as Executive Chairwoman. Ms. George has 25-plus years of experience building brands and companies in the consumer space. Previously, she was the CEO of Bell Sports and CEO of Easton Hockey, in addition to serving as a board member and advisor to several well-known consumer brands, including Oakley Sunglasses, Oreck Vacuum Cleaners, and 3-Day Blinds.
“We believe Ju-Ju-Be is well-positioned to capitalize on the trend towards higher quality, functional, and fashionable products that help parents on-the-go,” said Charles Yoon, a Managing Partner at Bregal. “Given Ju-Ju-Be’s reputation among its loyal and truly remarkable customer base, we believe there is an opportunity to explore new product categories with the same goal of making parents’ lives more convenient, more comfortable, safer, and more fun.”
Bregal Partners invests from $25 million to $90 million of equity in companies operating in the branded consumer products, health and wellness, food and beverage, specialty retail, energy services, and healthcare sectors. Target investments typically have from $15 million to $75 million of EBITDA. The firm has $600 million of committed capital funded by a sixth-generation family foundation. Bregal Partners is based in New York (www.bregalpartners.com).
According to Samer Ezzeddine, a Managing Director at Bregal, the firm has been pursuing investments in the juvenile products category over the past two years. “Ju-Ju-Be has established itself as an emerging lifestyle brand through its focus on high-quality, versatile products and by interacting with its growing community of followers in fun and engaging ways,” said Mr. Ezzeddine. “We are thrilled to be partnering with and supporting Joe and his team as they continue building this truly special company.”
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Bregal Partners as we enter our new phase of growth. We will leverage Bregal’s expertise in consumer products along with their financial and operational resources to accelerate our product innovation as we continue to grow our company,” said Mr. Croft.
Investment bank D.A. Davidson & Co. (www.dadavidson.com) was the financial advisor to Ju-Ju-Be.
© 2018 Private Equity Professional | February 13, 2018
