Thoroughbred Spirits Partners, LLC and Thoroughbred Spirits Group, LLC announced the launch of Thoroughbred Spirits Partners Fund I, LP, a private equity partnership focused on startup and early stage ventures in the craft spirits industry. The fund is anticipated to reach approximately $50 million in assets under management. Founder Scott Schiller is a fifth generation distiller, and Thoroughbred Spirits Group has been one of the most recognized consultants in the spirits space for over a decade.
“The reception we’ve received leading up to this launch has been incredible. What makes this fund unique from others stems from our deep knowledge and experience in the space, our extensive contacts in the industry, including both craft brands and multinationals, and our strong relationship with so many distillers around the globe. For the last several years, we’ve been working with many of the best-positioned craft distillers in the country. The opportunities in craft spirits are plentiful, as many have seen with recent acquisitions in both the bourbon and vodka categories, and we are uniquely poised to execute,” says Scott Schiller, fund president
Thoroughbred’s expertise is often critical to new and growing companies in areas from marketing and branding to distribution to financial modeling.
“This is an excellent vehicle not only for the right companies to acquire capital, but also for investors to privately access the spirits market,” says David Large, the founder. “Traditionally, investors have had two routes to brand ownership; through the capital markets or to invest in a singular brand or distillery. Our fund offers broader ownership in the segment and acts as a catalyst by providing both funding and intellectual capital to carefully selected spirit brands thereby maximizing the value of portfolio companies. While we began discussing the idea of a fund over a year ago, we recently added an experienced fund operator to the team, and we are now ready for launch.”
The newest member of the Thoroughbred team is Leo Isaak from Axios Capital Advisors, LLC in Dallas, Texas. Axios is an investment advisor that manages several alternative investment strategies for investors.
“I am both honored and excited for the opportunity to join this distinguished and accomplished team. When David approached me about this idea it was very easy for me to say yes. The craft spirits segment offers a unique hedging opportunity for investors in comparison to many other industries. The investment opportunities are plentiful, and we are here to fill the void left by larger financial players who would like to be involved outside the public capital markets, but either don’t have the experience to go it alone or due to their sheer size have difficulty finding the right structure,” Isaak says.
