LOS ANGELES, Calif. – First Beverage Group announced that its investment banking division, First Beverage Financial, has merged with Seattle-based Cascadia Capital, one of the nation’s leading middle market investment banking firms. Bill Anderson, First Beverage’s Founder and CEO, plans to join Cascadia’s Board of Directors and the entire First Beverage investment banking team will join Cascadia.
Moving forward, First Beverage Group will focus on the private equity investment activities of First Beverage Ventures, manager of its affiliated investment funds. First Beverage Ventures focuses on investments in emerging beverage brands and has invested in such highly-successful brands as Essentia water, Health-Ade kombucha and GEM&BOLT mezcal. Its most recent investment was in VitaCup, a vitamin-infused coffee and tea company.
Commenting on the investment banking transaction with Cascadia, Bill Anderson said, “We selected Cascadia Capital because of its unwavering focus on client service, its successful track record, the deep industry expertise of the Cascadia banking team and the firm’s strong culture of integrity and respect. This partnership provides the ability to deepen the level of service offered to our existing client base and enables us to continue our purposeful expansion into additional beverage industry segments. Managing partners Townsend Ziebold and Nicole Fry, along with our Board of Directors and broad network of industry friends and advisors, have done a remarkable job sourcing and executing over 25 beverage deals in the past four years, including 18 transactions in the craft beer industry.
“Our team made First Beverage Financial one of the leading beverage investment banks in the country, and we very much look forward to continuing to build on that legacy together with Cascadia Capital and their strong consumer banking team.”
About First Beverage Group
First Beverage invests in innovative and transformational beverage brands, helping beverage companies grow and stand out in a dynamic and competitive industry. We form true partnerships with our portfolio companies and the entrepreneurs leading them by leveraging both our financial and intellectual capital. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York, the First Beverage team is made up of entrepreneurial senior beverage executives with decades of collective industry experience. For more information please visit www.firstbeveragegroup.com.
About Cascadia Capital
Cascadia Capital is an independent investment bank providing middle-market entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses with merger and acquisition advice, capital raising and strategic advisory services. For two decades, the firm has strived to deliver the best outcomes for its clients by leveraging its extensive transaction experience, deep domain expertise and commitment to building long-term relationships. Unlike other investment banks, Cascadia is a pure advisory firm and is not conflicted by trading, lending, research or cross-selling business. For more information, visit the firm’s website at www.cascadiacapital.com.