Independent sponsor
Preserve Equity Partners
- HeadquartersUS
- Founded2023 S2
- Websitepreserveequitypartners.com
- Last verifiedNovember 5, 2026
At a glance
| EBITDA range | $1M to $5M S3 |
|---|---|
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S3 |
| Geography | United States, Midwest focus S3 |
| Sectors | Consumer & Food |
What Preserve Equity Partners buys
Preserve Equity Partners is an independent sponsor started in 2023 by Joe Francisco and Jamie Beuthin, who built the healthcare apparel brand Medelita and sold it to a private equity-backed company. It buys founder- and family-owned consumer companies with $1 million to $5 million of EBITDA: brands and products, licensed goods, toys and collectibles, beauty, specialty apparel and accessories, and online or direct-to-consumer sellers. It invests across the US with a focus on the Midwest, and it pursues only a handful of deals a year.
As an independent sponsor, Preserve has no standing fund. It raises the money for each purchase deal by deal, so no fund deadline forces a sale. It does control buyouts, founder exits, family succession deals and recapitalizations, plus add-ons. It holds three businesses: Party Animal, a licensed toys and collectibles company bought in 2025, and the beauty brands Estetist and Skinerals, bought in 2023. A smaller consumer brand could meet it as an add-on to one of these.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 5, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | Party AnimalFamily-owned licensed sports toys and collectibles company in Westlake, Ohio; the date is the seller's law firm's note | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S5.
D2C Consumer Products Companies
- Estetist
- Skinerals
Licensed Toys & Collectibles Platform
- Party Animal
Greymont’s take
How Preserve Equity Partners fits a seller
Preserve suits the founder or family behind a consumer brand who wants a buyer that has run this kind of business. Its partners sold their own brand, and they say people and culture come first and cost cutting is not the plan. Party Animal was a family-owned company sold with an investment banker and a law firm on its side, so Preserve will work through a normal sale process.
The main thing to test is the money. Preserve raises capital deal by deal, so ask who is backing this purchase, whether those funds are committed, and how much of the price arrives at closing, before agreeing to exclusive talks. Preserve is also young, with three purchases since 2023, so ask who will run the company day to day after the sale.
Questions owners ask
How is Preserve different from a private equity fund?
It is an independent sponsor, so it raises money for each deal from capital partners instead of drawing on a fixed fund. It says this frees it from a fund's timeline.
What kind of company does Preserve buy?
Founder-, family- or entrepreneur-owned consumer businesses with $1 million to $5 million of EBITDA, including licensed products, toys and collectibles, beauty, specialty apparel and online brands.
Where is Preserve Equity Partners based?
It names no single headquarters. It says it operates from the Los Angeles metro area, Traverse City, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio, and it invests across the US with a Midwest focus.
What has Preserve bought so far?
Three consumer businesses since 2023: the beauty brands Estetist and Skinerals in 2023, and Party Animal, a licensed sports toys and collectibles company in Westlake, Ohio, in 2025.
Sources
- S1Preserve Equity Partners home page Accessed November 5, 2026
- S2Preserve Equity Partners: About Us Accessed November 5, 2026
- S3Preserve Equity Partners: Acquisition Criteria and FAQ Accessed November 5, 2026
- S4Preserve Equity Partners: Approach Accessed November 5, 2026
- S5Preserve Equity Partners: Portfolio Accessed November 5, 2026
- S6Preserve Equity Partners: Contact Us Accessed November 5, 2026
- S7Hahn Loeser: M&A Team Completes Sale of Party Animal to Private Equity (October 21, 2025) Accessed November 5, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Preserve Equity Partners. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction