Recent News and Announcements from Centre Partners
NEW YORK and TEMPE, ARIZONA — January 5, 2015 — Centre Partners, a leading middle market private equity firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles, today announced that it has made a majority investment in Sun Orchard, Inc.(“Sun Orchard”), a national provider of premium juice and beverage products to the foodservice industry. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1984, Sun Orchard has leveraged its strength in citrus juices (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit) to develop an expanding portfolio of standard and customized beverages and culinary ingredients for foodservice preparation. The Company’s product portfolio consists of top quality, 100% natural, not-from-concentrate citrus juices, fruit ades, bar mixes, specialty smoothie bases, and other customizable mixology and culinary solutions. Sun Orchard is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and has a strategic bi-coastal production platform with facilities in Arizona and Florida.
Jean-Marc Rotsaert, a Centre Partners Operating Partner and a proven food and beverage executive with over 20 years of industry experience, has been named Executive Chairman of Sun Orchard. Mr. Rotsaert has previously held senior positions at The Campbell Soup Company, PepsiCo International, The Coca-Cola Company and AarhusKarlshamn USA, a subsidiary of AarhusKarlshamn AB, the world’s leading specialty vegetable fats and oil producer. Marc Isaacs, Sun Orchard’s long-time majority shareholder, will continue to serve as President and CEO and will remain a significant shareholder. Messrs. Rotsaert and Isaacs will work closely together in leading the business.
Michael Schnabel, a Centre Partners Managing Director, stated, “We are excited to invest in Sun Orchard and support the Company through its next phase of growth. We have been working with Jean-Marc Rotsaert to identify an opportunity to build a significant platform in the premium juice sector, and Sun Orchard is well-positioned for continued success with the highest-quality products and strong relationships with customers and suppliers. We look forward to working with the Sun Orchard team to grow the business organically, by adding new product lines and entering new channels, and through select acquisitions.”
Mr. Rotsaert commented, “Sun Orchard is an excellent company with a strong culture and substantial growth opportunities. Marc and I have spent considerable time together in recent months and together have established a strategic vision for the business. I look forward to working with Marc and the senior management team to ensure a successful future for Sun Orchard, its employees and business partners.”
Mr. Isaacs noted, “Centre Partners has a long and successful track record of being a constructive partner to businesses in the food and beverage industry. We are fortunate to have a new partner with the resources and operational expertise – in particular through the addition of Jean-Marc as our new Executive Chairman – to capitalize on the many attractive opportunities before us for the benefit of all our stakeholders.”
Rabo Securities USA acted as financial advisor to Sun Orchard with respect to the transaction.
Centre Partners, founded in 1986, is a leading private equity firm with a middle market focus that seeks to make acquisitions and equity investments alongside management teams who have or desire to make a meaningful economic stake in the future success of their businesses. Centre Partners has invested over $2 billion in more than 70 transactions, partnering with management teams across a broad spectrum of industries. Centre Partners provides those teams with access to its unique resources, which include an extended network of experienced and proven operating executives. The firm is currently investing through its sixth fund. Additional information is available at www.centrepartners.com.
As a national craft juice company over 30 years in the making, Sun Orchard is at the forefront of juice innovation in foodservice. Having built its business on freshness, taste, quality and people, Sun Orchard’s tree-to-table experts quickly turn emerging trends into cutting edge juice products, giving operators a quick-to-menu advantage and back-of-house efficiencies. Because of Sun Orchard’s commitment to developing inspired, breakthrough solutions, the company offers an unmatched selection of exceptional juice products delivered weekly to every metro area in the US and Canada. Learn more at www.SunOrchard.com.