Tender Belly has received an investment from Encore Consumer Capital (Encore), a private equity firm that invests exclusively in consumer products companies.
Tender Belly, based in Denver, Colorado, is a rapidly growing, premium bacon and pork products company founded in 2010 by brothers Shannon and Erik Duffy. Tender Belly’s products stem from their belief in going big and doing things according to their ‘Certified Awesome’ standards.
“We started Tender Belly to do things the right way, not the easy way, and we’re excited to partner with Encore to continue along that path,” says Duffy, Tender Belly Founder and CEO. “With Encore’s support, resources, and industry expertise, we’ll be able to continue to grow Tender Belly into the leading brand of bacon and pork, while making sure everyone has access to our products. I am particularly excited to be adding two experienced industry executives to my board of directors, Jim Skidmore, a former board member who led acquisitions and integration of multiple brands to create Coleman Natural Foods, the largest domestic organic and antibiotic free protein company; and Jeff Swain, the former CEO of Coleman Natural Foods and later Niman Ranch prior to its sale to Perdue Farms.”
Tender Belly’s Signature Dry-Cured bacon takes two weeks to make, is cherrywood-smoked and comes from the extra tender bellies of Heritage Breed hogs. They’re fed rich, 100 per cent vegetarian diets, are antibiotic free and raised in a crate-free environment which creates exquisite intramuscular marbling.
Robert Brown, Managing Director at Encore Consumer Capital, says: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Shannon and Erik to grow Tender Belly. We have great confidence that the entire team will grow Tender Belly to become the leading premium bacon offering in grocery stores and restaurants across the country.”