Blue Equity

Blue Equity, LLC is a private equity and venture capital firm established in 2004 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with additional offices in New York and Mexico City. The firm specializes in investments across various stages, including idea phase, seed/startup, and mature business cycles, as well as divestments of large public entities. Blue Equity focuses on growth capital investments, buyouts, turnarounds, and industry consolidation, primarily targeting lower middle market and later-stage companies. The firm seeks to acquire controlling interests in its investments, typically ranging from $0.1 million to $50 million, and often collaborates with existing management teams to enhance business performance. Its diversified portfolio spans numerous sectors, including distribution, media, hospitality, healthcare, and sports. Blue Equity aims to help enterprises realize their developmental potential through strategic partnerships and investment, contributing to both short-term stability and long-term growth.

Jonathan Blue

Founder, Chairman & Managing Director

Edward H. Harrison III

Director of Business Development

Cordt Huneke

VP

12 past transactions

goPuff

Private Equity Round in 2021
goPuff is a Philadelphia-based startup that delivers products like over-the-counter medicine, baby food, and alcohol. goPuff was founded in 2013 by Yakir Gola and Rafael Ilishayev, two Drexel University students with a minivan and a vision to make everyday life a little easier. What started as a snack delivery service quickly grew into a national essential, and food delivery service, and later, in some markets, alcohol delivery. Today, goPuff is the fastest growing delivery service, operating 24/7 in most major markets. goPuff makes sure its customers have everything they need: from quick meals, over-the-counter meds, snacks and drinks to electronics, office supplies, baby and pet essentials, and in some markets, beer, wine, and spirits. Across America, goPuff is known for satiating late-night cravings for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, Doritos, Red Bull, and, in select markets, White Claw and rescuing those in need of diapers, condoms, and cleaning products. goPuff allows users the joy of browsing the shelves without the hassle of going to the store. It takes seconds to navigate the app and minutes for goPuff’s Driver-Partners to deliver the customer’s needs and wants. goPuff’s strategically located facilities cut out the middleman allowing for a flat fee of $1.95. goPuff’s success has allowed the company to support important causes. In March 2020 goPuff committed to $1 million in orders to hospital workers fighting COVID-19. In May 2020 the company wrote a check for $1 million to match donations to Boys and Girls Clubs. In June 2020 goPuff committed to supporting underrepresented founders in Philadelphia.

Napoli Management Group

Acquisition in 2017
Napoli Management Group is one of the largest broadcast talent representation firms in the country. They represent television news anchors, reporters, weathercasters and sportscasters in all of the major television markets in the country, at the ABC, CBS and NBC television networks as well as on CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CNBC. NMG represents 550 of the most talented broadcasters in the country. Their clients work at all levels of the media, from small and medium-sized markets to some of the highest positions in the industry. Some of their clients include: Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, Ron Reagan, Eugene Robinson, Michaela Pereira, and Brian Rooney. The NMG team of representatives, Mendes J. Napoli, Laurie Jacoby, David Ahrendts, Jean Sage, Sue McInerney, Liz Sherwin, Liz Hart, Al Corral and Gary Brown, all bring a wealth of experience and diverse backgrounds to the company. They each represent their own group of broadcasters, and work together to maximize their contacts and share resources and information that benefit all. Napoli Management Group’s extensive network of contacts with management on all levels in the television broadcast industry guarantees access to confidential job opportunities and a wealth of information that helps their clients.

Liquor Barn

Acquisition in 2017
Liquor Barn is a Canadian-based operator of retail liquor stores. The Company operates over 200 stores in Canada, over 20 stores in Alaska and 3 stores in the Connecticut/New Jersey area. The Company's Liquor Stores primarily operate under the brand names Liquor Depot, Liquor Barn, and Wine and Beyond in Alberta; Liquor Depot and Wine Cellar in British Columbia and Brown Jug in Alaska. The stores in New Jersey operate under the name Joe Canal's Discount Liquor Outlet. Stores in Canada generally range in size from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. Its stores in Alaska range in size from 1,400 to 14,000 square feet. It has combined store and warehouse premises in Alaska of over 40,000 square feet.

Two Twelve Management

Acquisition in 2017
Two Twelve Management is one of the premier, full-service chef representation management, advisory and consultancy companies in the industry, focused on representing a diverse group of chefs and culinary stars.

3 Kings Entertainment

Acquisition in 2016
3 Kings Entertainment is a premier, full-service broadcast news, sports and media talent representation firm, has over 20 years of success focused on representing high-level on-screen personalities, broadcasters, anchors, studio hosts, sportscasters, reporters, commentators, journalists, analysts, executives, coaches, and other outstanding talent in broadcasting, cable, and new media.

Gilford-Johnson Flooring

Acquisition in 2016
Gilford-Johnson Flooring operates as a flooring distributors. Gilford-Johnson Flooring is uniquely positioned to offer product diversification and exclusive brands to customers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. Plans for the future are to expand the business with acquisitions, new partners and new product lines to become one of the leading distributors in the nation.

Mukan Resort

Private Equity Round in 2015
Mukan Resort is the only luxury resort located in Mexico’s Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Approximately 37 km from the beach town of Tulum, its remoteness is central to its charm, combining privacy and exclusivity against a tropical backdrop.

Angel's Envy Bourbon

Private Equity Round in 2013
Angel’s Envy is a craft bourbon production created by the world’s most renowned master distiller, Lincoln Henderson. Positioned as the world’s premier super-premium bourbon brand, it is distilled in the traditional homeland of bourbon, Kentucky, where the climate and soil produce the best base ingredients for bourbon. The aging process begins with a period of four to six years in American white oak barrels, followed by three to six additional months of aging in hand-selected port casks. As bourbon ages in the barrels, it’s drawn into the charred white oak during summer months and it recedes back into the virgin barrels during winter months.

Artspace

Series A in 2012
Artspace is the premier online retailer where collectors can purchase works by top contemporary artists directly from leading commercial galleries, prestigious cultural institutions, and non-profits. Our curators also commission works directly from the most renowned artists working today, working closely with their studios to produce exclusive limited editions. Our mission is to help both aspiring and experienced collectors discover, learn about, and acquire art while helping artists and the institutions that support them reach broader audiences worldwide. Proceeds from many of the works on our site benefit these esteemed institutions and artists.

Globecomm Systems

Private Equity Round in 2012
Globecomm Systems, together with its subsidiaries, provides satellite-based communications infrastructure solutions and services. The company provides pre-engineered systems; systems design and integration services; and access, hosted, and lifecycle support services. It supplies infrastructure solutions for satellite-based communications, including hardware and software to support a range of satellite systems. The company's infrastructure solutions comprise the design, engineering, integration, and installation of ground segment systems and networks, which are deployed in communications networks to support a range of network applications and facilitate ‘quadruple play' services consisting of video, data, voice, and wireless communications. It offers end-to-end managed network services and life cycle support services, such as installation, network monitoring, help desk, maintenance, and professional engineering services. The company offers its products and services to communications service providers, government and government related entities, commercial enterprises, broadcasters, and other media and content providers. Globecomm Systems Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York.

Island Ice & Beverage

Private Equity Round in 2008
Island Ice & Beverage Company Limited.The company was created to facilitate the merger of two of Jamaica’s leading manufacturing concerns.The Kingston Ice Making Company Limited (Kingston Ice) was one of the oldest companies in the history of Jamaica. Records indicate that the company was originally founded in 1884. The company eventually became public but delisted in the late 1990’s. Kingston Ice was the main producer of block ice in Jamaica.

Enlace Spanish Yellow Pages

Private Equity Round in 2003
Enlace Spanish Yellow Pages is a publisher of Spanish language telephone directories.