Imperial Capital Advises Sugarfina on its Growth Equity Investment from Great Hill Partners

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14, 2017 -- Imperial Capital, LLC announced today that it served as exclusive financial advisor to Sugarfina on its $35 million growth equity financing from Great Hill Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm.  Great Hill Partners’ investment will support the continued growth of Sugarfina’s omnichannel presence across web, mobile, retail, wholesale, and corporate gifting, and will allow the Company to expand internationally to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Founded in 2012 by Rosie O’Neill and Josh Resnick, Sugarfina is a uniquely fresh, fashionable, and experiential luxury candy brand, disrupting the $200 billion global confections industry.  The company has a strategic omnichannel presence with proven success across all formats through which it markets its artisan-made and curated candy varieties and gifts.  Sugarfina has developed a loyal and enthusiastic following thanks to its ability to provide innovative candies based on the latest pop culture and lifestyle trends and collaborate with leading brands such as Casamigos Tequila, Pressed Juicery and Whispering Angel.

“Sugarfina is a special brand and, through its innovation and quality, is the definition of a category creator in the luxury candy segment.  Josh and Rosie have built a truly unique business and they found the ideal partner in Great Hill to further their expansion goals,” said Brian Wood, Head of the Consumer Investment Banking Group at Imperial Capital.  Chris Shepard, Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Investment Banking at Imperial Capital, added, “This transaction is representative of our Consumer group's specialization in premium lifestyle brands, and in particular their knowledge and extensive relationships at all levels of the luxury products sector.”

About Sugarfina

Sweethearts Rosie O’Neill and Josh Resnick had dreamed of opening a luxury candy boutique ever since their third date, a screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  They fell in love over the unique and delicious candies they tasted while traveling and were inspired to bring a new concept in gourmet candy to the United States. Named one of the world’s most beautiful candy shops by Architectural Digest, Sugarfina opened its first boutique in November 2013 in Beverly Hills and now operates 24 boutiques and 14 Nordstrom shop-in-shops across North America in major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Vancouver. To learn more about Sugarfina, visit www.sugarfina.com or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @sugarfina.

About Great Hill Partners

Great Hill Partners is a Boston-based private equity firm that has raised over $5 billion in commitments since inception to finance the acquisition, recapitalization, or expansion of growth companies in the communications, financial technology, healthcare, information services, Internet, media, retail, consumer, and software industries.  Great Hill targets investments of $25 million to $200 million.  For more information, visit www.greathillpartners.com.

About Imperial Capital, LLC

Imperial Capital, founded in 1997, is a full-service investment banking firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, London, Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Charlotte, Palm Beach, and Tel Aviv.  The firm currently employs over 250 professionals and offers a wide range of proprietary products and services to institutional investors, middle market companies, and private equity firms.  Imperial Capital provides institutional clients research and sales and trading of high yield and distressed debt securities, bank debt, convertible bonds, preferred stocks, and equities.  The firm provides middle market companies and financial sponsors with capital markets, merger and acquisitions, capital structure, restructuring, and recapitalization advisory services.  For more information, visit www.imperialcapital.com.

For more information regarding Imperial Capital, please contact:

Tigist Gessesse 
(310) 246-3605
[email protected]