Dan Raatjes

Senior Vice President and COO

3 past transactions

Shaka Tea

Acquisition in 2022
Shaka Tea produces and sells herbal iced teas brewed from māmaki, a unique plant native to Hawaii. Founded in 2016 and based in Hilo, Hawaii, the company offers a range of bottled teas in various tropical fruit and botanical flavors, all of which are naturally caffeine-free and contain no added sugars. Shaka Tea emphasizes sustainability by supporting regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices. Its products are available in major retailers across Hawaii and the continental United States, as well as through online platforms like Amazon. The company was created by Bella Hughes and her husband Harrison Rice, who aimed to honor Hawaiian culture by providing an authentically local and healthy beverage option.

Grillo's Pickles

Acquisition in 2021
Grillo's Pickles began with a pickle cart, just a small wooden stand in downtown Boston, where Travis Grillo and his friends would sell two spears for one dollar. Travis would make the pickles by night using his family's 100-year old recipe - one he'd memorized from making pickles every summer as a kid. In the morning, Travis would bike to the Boston Common and set up the cart with his buddies. Theyʼd hang out all day, urging people to try the simple Grillo family pickle. It was a small business but Travis worked hard for it. He made more pickles, biked more miles, and slept less hours than he ever had before. Before he knew it, Whole Foods Markets and the Boston Red Sox asked to feature the pickles. Others promptly followed. Today, you can find Grilloʼs Pickles in grocery stores across the country. Even so, not much has changed. At its core, the company will always be Travis and his buddies spreading the word about these awesome pickles, just like years ago in the Boston Common. The pickle itself hasnʼt changed, either. Itʼs still garden-fresh, all natural, and refreshingly delicious. They think itʼs the best pickle in the world.

Shaka Tea

Venture Round in 2020
Shaka Tea produces and sells herbal iced teas brewed from māmaki, a unique plant native to Hawaii. Founded in 2016 and based in Hilo, Hawaii, the company offers a range of bottled teas in various tropical fruit and botanical flavors, all of which are naturally caffeine-free and contain no added sugars. Shaka Tea emphasizes sustainability by supporting regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices. Its products are available in major retailers across Hawaii and the continental United States, as well as through online platforms like Amazon. The company was created by Bella Hughes and her husband Harrison Rice, who aimed to honor Hawaiian culture by providing an authentically local and healthy beverage option.
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