FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JH Partners Leads Recapitalization of Vermont Based Country Home Products
VERGENNES, VT and SAN FRANCISCO, CA - March 1, 2006 - Country Home Products, Inc., a designer, assembler, and marketer of professional grade outdoor power equipment for homeowners under the DR and Neuton brand names, announced today that it has been recapitalized with an investment by private equity firm JH Partners and Country Home Products management.
"With their historical focus on companies with aspirational brands, JH Partners brings much more than capital to this relationship. Together, we will continue to innovate in our industry, building an even stronger platform for Country Home Products," said Joe Perrotto, the Company's President and CEO.
"The opportunity to partner with a market-leader like Country Home products offers us the ability to leverage our past experience to create value in partnership with Joe and his team. Our focus at JH Partners is on building sustainable, long-term equity value in consumer and marketing-driven growth companies. We believe there is a significant opportunity for a number of our current portfolio companies to learn from the extraordinary and hard-earned success of Country Home Products, while drawing on best practices from many of these same companies to bolster Country Home Products," added Jeff Hansen of JH Partners.
Worth Mountain Capital Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Country Home Products. Debt financing for the transaction was provided by Citizens Bank N.A.
About Country Home Products, Inc.
Founded in 1985, Vergennes, Vermont-based Country Home Products (www.drpower.com) is a multi-channel marketer of the DRŽ and NeutonŽ brands of specialty outdoor power equipment and related products for property owners. DRŽ is the only brand of professional-quality outdoor power equipment that offers different and better solutions for homeowners who enjoy maintaining their country properties themselves.
About JH Partners, LLC
JH Partners (www.jhpartners.com) is a San Francisco based private equity firm focused on investments in growth-oriented middle market consumer products and services companies. The firm distinguishes itself among private equity firms in that each of its principals has senior-level operating experience building middle-market consumer related businesses. JH Partners has been instrumental in aiding the growth of powerful consumer brands, including Peet's Coffee & Tea, Bare Escentuals, Performance Bicycle Shop, Bell Helmets, and Design Within Reach, among others.
Contact:
Dan Hilley
Abernathy MacGregor Group
213-630-6550
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