US: Organic herb grower Shenandoah receives large investment

Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners, LP (ACAP) has announced an investment in Shenandoah Growers, one of the nation’s top suppliers of certified organic herbs specializing in serving retail grocers. Located in Harrisonburg, Va., Shenandoah Growers produces and sells both live potted herbs and fresh cut herbs to many of the leading food retailers in the U.S. ACAP invested in Shenandoah alongside food and agriculture equity groups Middleland Capital and S2G Ventures.

Founded in 1990, Shenandoah Growers’ vision is to bring fresh organic culinary herbs to stores across the U.S. The company’s substantial evolution is evident in its growth from a single packaging facility that was less than 1,000 square feet in 1998 to operating over 260,000-square feet of greenhouses today, with facilities in Virginia, Indiana, Georgia and Texas.

“We are true entrepreneur farmers committed to being a part of America’s healthy food movement and passionate about providing the finest produce possible,” said Timothy Heydon, President and CEO at Shenandoah Growers. “This important investment allows us to expand our use of state-of-the-art greenhouses in Virginia, as well as deploy proprietary new technologies and grow innovations across all of our multi-regional operations.”

ACAP is a $154.5-million fund that is licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC). The fund is a partnership between Advantage Capital Partners and nine Farm Credit organizations, established to bring together resources and people focused on providing more private capital, small business investment and quality jobs to rural America.

Visit www.shenandoahgrowers.com for more information.