Bansk Group Closes Inaugural Fund at $800 Million

NEW YORK, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bansk Group ("Bansk"), a consumer-focused private investment firm dedicated to building distinctive consumer packaged goods ("CPG") brands, today announced the final close of its inaugural fund, Bansk Fund I LP (the "Fund"), at $800 million. The Fund received strong support from a diverse range of high-quality global institutional investors. Following the close, Bansk now manages approximately $1.5 billion in assets, including co-investments.

Founded in 2019, Bansk is a New York-based private investment firm focused on investing in and building distinctive CPG brands. Bansk targets investments in four sectors: beauty & personal care, consumer health, food & beverage and household products. Bansk seeks to partner with exceptional founders and management teams to drive outsized organic and acquisitive growth and position companies for long-term success in the evolving consumer landscape. Bansk typically targets investments of $100-400 million of equity in profitable and growing businesses. 

Bansk is led by a tenured group of executives with decades of CPG-focused investing and operating experience. Bansk's Senior Partner and Chairman, Bart Becht, was previously the CEO of Reckitt Benckiser for 17 years, and Brian O'Connor, the firm's Senior Partner and Chief Investment Officer, was previously at Vestar Capital Partners for nearly 20 years. Other Partners include Chris Kelly, formerly at TPG Growth, and Bill Mordan, formerly at Reckitt Benckiser.

"This is an exciting milestone for our firm, and we are grateful for the tremendous support we've received from our investors," said Bart Becht. "Our experience enables us to identify differentiated brands in high growth segments of CPG and uniquely positions us to add value post investment, which resonated with investors during the fundraise."

Brian O'Connor said, "The CPG space is an attractive area for investment throughout market cycles as the brands we invest in are typically non-discretionary staples that people buy on a recurring basis. We are proud of the team we have built at Bansk and are excited about the opportunity ahead of us in Fund I."

To date, the Fund has invested in four portfolio companies:

• Woodstream, the largest independent pest & animal control platform in North America
• Arcadia Consumer Healthcare, one of the fastest growing consumer health and wellness platforms
• The Bansk Haircare portfolio, which includes three brands: i) amika, a leading prestige haircare brand, ii) Eva NYC, a growing leader in masstige haircare, and iii) Ethique, a mission-driven beauty & personal care brand
• Red's All Natural, a rapidly growing brand of clean-label frozen burritos and breakfast sandwiches in the U.S.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to the Fund. Lazard Frères & Co. LLC served as the placement advisor to the Fund.

About Bansk Group
Founded in 2019, Bansk Group is a New York-based private investment firm focused on investing in and building distinctive consumer brands. The firm partners with differentiated brands across four primary consumer categories: beauty & personal care, consumer health, food & beverage, and household products.

Over their careers with Bansk and elsewhere, Bansk's tenured group of investors and operators have been involved in more than $30 billion of equity capital investments across more than 40 transactions with some of the most innovative and well-known consumer companies in the world. With extensive investment experience in the consumer products industry, a global network of relationships, and a tested value creation playbook, Bansk seeks to partner with exceptional founders and management teams to drive outsized organic and acquisitive growth and position brands for enduring long-term success in the evolving consumer landscape. www.banskgroup.com

Media Contacts
Bansk Group
Woomi Yun / Erik Carlson
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
+1 (212) 355-4449

SOURCE Bansk Group