Business Description
The Mad Rose Group (aka Rosenthal Wine Merchant), headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, is a leading importer and distributor of fine wines and specialty foods from France, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. Founded in 1977, the Company has built a global brand through its dedication to partnering with only premium family-owned estates producing limited quantities of exceptional wines for over 40 years. From its retail roots, RWM has grown into a highly successful national business with a distribution network that covers 44 states and the District of Columbia with self-distribution in the two most important markets of metropolitan New York(including New Jersey and Connecticut) and California. Today, Mad Rose offers access to a distinct and growing book of over 140 wine producers to off-premise retailers, on-premise retailers, and third-party distributors across the United States. As it stands, the portfolio encompasses almost every viticultural area of France and Italy’s most esteemed wine regions, as well as Switzerland’s Valais district and Catalonia.
Background
Approaching an inflection point both personally and for the Company, the founders of The Mad Rose Group, Neal Rosenthal and Kerry Madigan, wanted to explore a new capital partnership to provide a measure of liquidity and, more importantly, a meaningful investment to support the Company’s continued growth. It was critical to Neal and Kerry that any new partner joining the Mad Rose family preserve the culture of the Company, share their passion for great wine and advance the Company’s mission of working with extraordinary, ‘terroir-driven’ estates.
Solution
Carter Morse & Goodrich was engaged to assist the Company in preparing, planning, and executing a successful outcome and transaction. After a robust sell-side process, Incline Equity Partners was ultimately selected based on its ability to meet Neal and Kerry’s wholistic objectives and significant prior experience in the industry. “Carter Morse & Goodrich tailored their process to meet our specialized needs and successfully guided us through every aspect of the deal from start to finish. It was their 'outside the industry box' thinking and prospecting that provided us with numerous attractive options from which to choose,” said Neal Rosenthal. He added “We are thrilled to embark on this new adventure with Incline. The partnership will build upon our long-established culture and permit us to reach our full potential as stewards of exceptional estate-bottled wines from multi-generational family domains. Incline’s powerful resources provide the additional expertise to expand our reach and to play an even bigger role in the fine wine trade.”
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