Castanea Partners has made a minority investment in The Townshend Group, the parent company of Brew Dr Kombucha.
The Townshend Group (TTG) was founded in 2006 by Matt Thomas, the Company’s CEO, and consists of three operating businesses: Brew Dr Kombucha, Townshend’s Tea Company, and Thomas & Sons Distillery. Brew Dr Kombucha produces a line of 100 per cent raw, organic kombucha in a variety of flavors distributed in stores in the US and Canada, including New Seasons, Whole Foods, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, and Target. Townshend’s Tea Company is a tea retailer with nine locations in Oregon, Montana, and Utah. Thomas & Sons Distillery is a distillery that utilises the alcohol byproduct from the kombucha fermentation process to produce craft spirits.
“In Brew Dr and TTG we saw an opportunity to invest in a high-quality, authentic kombucha brand that addresses increasing consumer interest in personal health and well-being. The Brew Dr team has done a tremendous job translating Matt’s love for high-quality tea into great kombucha and we’re delighted to partner with them to help continue building on the strong foundation for success already in place,” says Tom First, Operating Partner at Castanea.
“At a time when Brew Dr is gaining significant momentum, we’re excited to be able to work alongside the Castanea team and leverage their distinct experience in building beverage brands,” says Matt Thomas. “Their outstanding track record in the beverage category will provide valuable insights on brand building and distribution expansion. I’m excited to have their help as we make Brew Dr Kombucha available to more people across the country.”
