HEARTWOOD PARTNERS' NATIVESEED GROUP ACQUIRES ARROW SEED, DOUBLING DOWN ON COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE CONSERVATION AND PREMIUM FORAGE SEED

NORWALK, Conn. , July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Heartwood Partners is pleased to announce that after four generations of family ownership, Arrow Seed has joined Heartwood's growing seed and erosion control platform, NativeSeed Group ("NativeSeed"). Located in Broken Bow, Nebraska, Arrow Seed is a producer and supplier of conservation and premium native grass, wildflower, forages, turf grasses, small grains, and other related varieties of seeds and seed mixes for farm and conservation applications, primarily serving the Midwest. Customers include seed distributors, retailers, farmers, state and local conservation districts, municipalities, and private landowners. In addition to expanding NativeSeed's geographic footprint into the Midwest, the acquisition bolsters its product portfolio with expanded warm-season seed varieties. This is the second add-on acquisition completed by NativeSeed Group since Heartwood Partners acquired the business in April 2022.

"We were fortunate to have been presented with this opportunity as we continue to expand our geographic footprint," said NativeSeed Group CEO Rob Wendell. "Arrow Seed's core values, rooted in providing customers with high quality custom seed mixes on a just-in-time basis, align perfectly with how we do business. We also see a tremendous fit with our Star Seed operation (www.gostarseed.com) in nearby Osborne, Kansas, by sharing resources and best practices in procurement and customer service. Both entities will be better positioned to deliver immediate value to the market and be ideally positioned to meet projected long-term growth in cover crops and conservation throughout the Midwest."

"We are pleased to support NativeSeed with its second strategic acquisition, helping the platform further add scale and grow its footprint," said James Sidwa, Managing Partner, Heartwood Partners. "We look forward to continuing to build NativeSeed Group's portfolio of brands and continuing to invest in future growth."

Heartwood Partners and NativeSeed would like to recognize the advisory team at Verdant Partners for their efforts in closing this transaction and making this partnership possible.

About Heartwood Partners: Heartwood Partners, a middle market private equity firm founded in 1982, is differentiated by a unique lower-leverage, current cash yield approach designed to create partnership with continuing management. Our approach combines a conservative capital structure with strategic execution to support long-term growth, including organic and acquisition-driven expansion into new products, services, and end markets. In addition, we support each management team with our in-house Value Creation Specialists who provide deep, subject-matter expertise in strategic areas such as eCommerce and digital marketing, human capital and organizational design, and IT improvement and acquisition integration. We currently manage over $1.4 billion in investments and commitments, and our principals have invested in more than 100 platform and add-on acquisitions. Heartwood is currently investing from Heartwood Partners IV, LP, and is focused on founder, family and management-held businesses serving the food, agriculture, specialty chemicals, niche manufacturing, packaging, and industrial & consumer services markets. For additional information about Heartwood, please visit www.heartwoodpartners.com.

About NativeSeed Group: Headquartered in Carpinteria, CA, NativeSeed is a provider of native and conservation seed, farm seed, and erosion control products used in land reclamation and conservation, agriculture, and consumer applications. The Company goes to market under several market leading regional brands, serving a diverse group of landowners, energy companies, state & federal agencies, regional conservation districts, NGOs, farm co-ops, environmental engineers, and contractors, with a particularly strong presence throughout the Western and Midwestern U.S. The company's Nature's Seed brand sells flower, turf, and pasture blends to homeowners, hobby farmers, and smaller rural landowners throughout the United States. Please visit the NativeSeed website at www.NativeSeedGroup.com to learn more.

SOURCE Heartwood Partners