First Beverage Ventures, the private equity arm of First Beverage Group, a financial services firm focused exclusively on the beverage industry, has announced that it has launched a new private equity fund which will invest in small and emerging beverage brands.
The fund’s limited partners include The Coca-Cola Company’s Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) group, the successful and experienced beverage distributor David Kahn, and high-net-worth individuals and family offices. First Beverage plans to invest in emerging beverage companies and services within the next two to three years with opportunities for follow-on investments.
“Through this fund we will be investing in small, high-growth and highly differentiated brands which are now in the sweet-spot of consumer demand and retailer focus,” said William Anderson, the CEO and founder of First Beverage Group. “Our full team of former beverage entrepreneurs, distributors, and senior executives—combined with our limited partners—is uniquely positioned to help build these emerging brands.”
“We are extremely proud of the incredible group of limited partners who have given us their support in this fund,” said Tom First, managing partner of First Beverage Ventures. “They represent some of the best minds in the beverage industry and their participation with us is a strong vote of confidence. With their support, along with the current favorable environment for new brands, we believe we will be able to provide our investors with compelling investment opportunities.”
“First Beverage Ventures has put together a top-notch team with the necessary experience to first identify emerging brands with the greatest potential and, second, to then work with them side by side to help them realize their potential,” said Deryck van Rensburg, president and general manager of Coca-Cola’s Venturing and Emerging Brands. “We look forward to a productive and mutually beneficial partnership.”
