WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 28, 2021 – Aua Private Equity Partners, LLC, a leading private equity firm specializing in the consumer sector with a focus on Hispanic-oriented and family-owned businesses, has announced the successful final closing of its second fund, AUA Private Equity Fund II, LP, and related funds (collectively known as “Fund II”). Fund II secured total capital commitments of $310 million, surpassing its initial target of $300 million. This achievement reflects strong support from both existing and new investors, including pension funds, foundations, family offices, fund of funds, and high-net-worth individuals.
Fund II will continue AUA Private Equity Partners’ established investment strategy of targeting lower middle-market companies within the United States consumer sector. The firm focuses on making equity investments ranging from $20 million to $75 million in consumer product and service companies. AUA Private Equity Partners distinguishes itself by providing operational expertise to help family-run businesses evolve into institutional leaders. The firm is committed to disciplined purchase prices and utilizes moderate leverage in acquisitions, prioritizing operational enhancements over financial engineering to generate robust returns for its investors.
Andy Unanue, Managing Partner at AUA Private Equity Partners, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are incredibly proud and grateful to announce the oversubscribed final closing of Fund II. We deeply appreciate the trust and confidence our high-quality partners place in our investment strategy and our firm as stewards of their capital. Our investors recognize and value our long-standing commitment to ESG principles, our dedication to diversity within our management teams and boards, and our operational expertise, which enables us to deliver strong investor returns while simultaneously creating significant value for our portfolio companies and partners.”
Steven Flyer, Partner at AUA Private Equity Partners, added, “The success of this fundraising effort is a direct result of our investment team’s diligent work in identifying and executing on high-quality investments that create value for all stakeholders. We sincerely thank our limited partners for their support and are eager to deploy capital under our focused investment strategy, continuing to emphasize operational improvements to drive strong financial performance.”
Founded in 2011 by Managing Partner Andy Unanue, Partners Steven Flyer and David Benyaminy, and Managing Director Kyce Chihi, AUA Private Equity Partners was established to capitalize on the demographic trend of investing in Hispanic-oriented and multicultural businesses, as well as family-owned enterprises seeking transition or liquidity. Fund II has already made four significant platform investments:
- TruFood: A leading co-manufacturer in the U.S. for protein bars, breakfast bars, molded chocolate, and granola, serving major CPG companies.
- Gourmet Culinary Partners: A national manufacturer specializing in prepared specialty foods like appetizers, breakfast items, entrees, side dishes, and soups for retail, restaurants, hospitality, and educational institutions.
- Westminster Pet Products: A prominent distributor of pet accessories, treats, chews, and toys, with a strong presence in supermarkets and retail segments.
- bistroMD: A direct-to-consumer, nationwide meal delivery subscription service providing doctor-designed, chef-prepared gourmet meals tailored for weight loss and long-term weight management.
David Benyaminy, Partner at AUA Private Equity Partners, further commented, “AUA Private Equity Partners has cultivated a strong reputation for effectively partnering with family-owned and Hispanic-oriented businesses to develop leading consumer companies. We are committed to continuing our support for entrepreneurs and family businesses as we strategically deploy Fund II, assisting our management teams and owners in building exceptional and enduring companies.”
Latham & Watkins LLP, with Barton Clark and Daniel Cote leading the legal counsel, advised on the formation of Fund II.
About AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC
AUA Private Equity Partners is an operationally-focused, lower middle-market investment firm that provides strategic capital to companies within the consumer products and consumer services sectors. AUA Private Equity Partners particularly focuses on family-owned businesses and companies poised to benefit from the expanding U.S. Hispanic population. The firm typically makes equity investments between $20 million and $75 million in companies generating over $5 million in EBITDA. For more information about AUA Private Equity Partners, please visit www.auaequity.com.
CONTACT
AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC
John Moore
[email protected]
212.231.8650
Disclosure: This document is for informational purposes only and should not be considered an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities or investment advisory services. Any offering will be made exclusively through a Private Placement Memorandum and Subscription Agreement (“Offering Documents”) to qualified investors. This document is not the basis for and should not be relied upon for any investment decision. Statements summarizing the Offering Documents are qualified in their entirety by the terms of those documents. Prior to making any investment decision, a copy of the Offering Documents must be reviewed and accepted. Investing in any fund involves the risk of loss. AUA’s private funds are not offered or sold in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful until the legal requirements of that jurisdiction are met.
SOURCE AUA Private Equity Partners
