Butterfly Equity

Butterfly Co-Founder and Co-CEO Adam Waglay joined Kristen Scholer on the NYSE floor to talk about the firm’s recent continuation fund with Qdoba Restaurant Corporation and growing deal-flow momentum across the food and beverage sectors.   Adam highlights the firm’s consumer-focused and operation-driven approach to timing its partnerships as well as how the firm helps transform portfolio companies from “caterpillars into butterflies.”   Watch the segment here: https://lnkd.in/gvMjWmBz 

We are pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with Qdoba Restaurant Corporation through the closing of our $527 million single-asset continuation fund. This milestone builds upon the momentum that our partnership has created and provides investors with further opportunities to take part in the next phase of QDOBA’s growth. We’re excited to continue working alongside CEO John Cywinski and the entire QDOBA team. The Mexican fast-casual segment remains one of the highest performing categories in the restaurant sector, and we are proud to have played a part in QDOBA achieving the status of No. 1 franchisor and No. 2 brand in North America . We look forward to this next chapter of growth and the continued evolution of an exceptional brand.  Read more details on the transaction here: https://lnkd.in/gX-xqrrR

Butterfly Co-Founder and Co-CEO Adam Waglay recently joined Scarlet Fu and Katie Greifeld on Bloomberg Television’s ‘The Close’ to talk about portfolio company Generous Brands’ acquisition agreement of Health-Ade and what it means for the future of better-for-you beverages. From kombucha to the next big things in premium beverages, the conversation highlighted the momentum in the space. At Butterfly, we’re dedicated to investing in high-quality, functional brands – and the addition of Health-Ade into the Generous Brands portfolio is another example of our commitment to delivering fresh, clean ingredients to health-conscious consumers. Watch the segment here: https://lnkd.in/dz6VeTJS

We are thrilled to announce that Generous Brands, a Butterfly portfolio company and a leader in premium refrigerated beverages offering the Bolthouse Farms, Evolution Fresh and SAMBAZON brands, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Health-Ade, a fast-growing leader and innovator in kombucha tea beverages, from private equity firms First Bev and Manna Tree. At Butterfly, we believe in the growth of fresh, functional beverages and Generous Brands’ focus on delivering vibrant nutrition to consumers. The addition of Health-Ade to the Generous Brands platform demonstrates our continued commitment to health-conscious consumers as they continue to prioritize a healthy lifestyle. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d8xD7CXb

Butterfly CFO Peter Tang was featured in a recent report from Milken Institute Feeding Change that explores the importance of stronger alignment between finance and food system stakeholders to create more sustainable solutions. According to Peter, the food production space is one that needs “accelerant policy to reduce friction costs or share the burden of the smallholders to make the changes necessary.” At Butterfly, we are proud to partner with Milken Institute Feeding Change and support its mission of transforming food systems to achieve better health outcomes. To learn more, you can read the full report, titled “Perspectives on a Natural Capital Approach to Financing Food Systems Transformation,” here: https://lnkd.in/gKWPeStg

Today, The Duckhorn Portfolio announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: David Klein and Tom Flocco. Both bring over 30 years of experience in scaling and operating category-defining alcoholic beverage businesses. We’ve had the pleasure of partnering with David over the past year and have worked closely with Tom for several years through our investment in Pete & Gerry’s Organics. We are excited to have the two of them join the board as we continue to support Duckhorn in executing its vision for long-term growth and leadership in the luxury wine category. Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/geKkiGsc

Last week, our Co-Founder and Co-CEO Adam Waglay and incoming CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio Robert Hanson joined Bloomberg Television’s Romaine Bostick, CFA and Scarlet Fu to discuss Robert’s appointment and the state of the premium wine industry. Robert has been a friend of the firm’s for nearly a decade and has advised Butterfly on its broader work in the beverage and alcohol space as an Operating Partner over the last year. At Butterfly, we believe in investing in the highest quality assets and Duckhorn has significantly outperformed the premium wine category since its inception. We look forward to working with Robert to unlock new opportunities for growth and build on its strong foundation to deliver premium wine to consumers globally. https://lnkd.in/gZm4EPWX

We are thrilled to announce that Robert Hanson, a renowned consumer brands industry veteran, has been appointed CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio, effective February 1, 2025. Robert comes to Duckhorn with a strong track record of building, transforming, and scaling consumer businesses. With his deep sector expertise and visionary leadership, we are confident he will take Duckhorn to new heights, building on its legacy of excellence in the wine industry. You can read the full details in our press release for more information: https://lnkd.in/gS4c5qED

We are thrilled to announce that we have completed our acquisition of The Duckhorn Portfolio. Today, we raise a glass and formally welcome the Company to Butterfly. We are confident The Duckhorn Portfolio is ideally positioned to continue the incredible growth it has achieved as the premier luxury wine company in North America. For more than 50 years, the Company has delighted customers with its curated portfolio of beloved winery brands, and we are looking forward to leveraging Butterfly’s deep sector experience and network to expand their global reach and continue a legacy of winemaking excellence. You can read the full details in our press release: https://lnkd.in/g2ywan7U

We’re thrilled to share that Butterfly has been named to Inc. Magazine’s 2024 Founder Friendly Investors list. This annual list honors the most dedicated private equity, venture capital, and debt firms with a strong track record of backing entrepreneurs. At Butterfly, we equip every portfolio company with a dedicated value creation team to accelerate growth, enhance operations and drive efficiencies. We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to backing founders and congratulations to our incredible team for this well-deserved accolade. See the full list here: https://lnkd.in/ebhzF2Xq