Greens Farms Capital and Landon Capital Partners Acquire Majority Stake in 919 Marketing Company

Investment Group to Support Growth of Content Marketing Leader 
Represents Inaugural Investment by Greens Farms Capital

WESTPORT, Conn. and BOSTON, Mass.– (January 5, 2021) – Greens Farms Capital LLC (“Greens Farms Capital”) and Landon Capital Partners, LLC (“Landon Capital”), have acquired 919 Marketing Inc. (“919 Marketing”), one of the nation’s fastest growing content marketing agencies, in partnership with 919’s CEO and founder David Chapman.

919 Marketing is a data-driven national content marketing firm with a proven track record of helping companies increase revenue, create a competitive advantage, and improve marketing results. The company’s services include franchise and cause marketing, social media and digital marketing, strategic planning, brand strategy, public relations, crisis communications, and video and podcast production. 919 Marketing’s explosive three-year growth rate of more than 130 percent earned the firm a spot on the prestigious 2020 Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Greens Farms Capital and Landon Capital and see tremendous opportunities for growth ahead,” says David Chapman, CEO, and founder of 919 Marketing. “To execute our expansion plan rapidly and successfully we needed experienced partners with investment firepower who understand our mission, culture, and strategy, while respecting our passionate commitment to deliver game-changing results for our clients. Our new investment partners have excellent reputations for supporting firms to enhance growth and profitability while allowing the management team to maintain independence.”

919 Marketing marks the first portfolio company investment for Greens Farms Capital, a Westport, Connecticut private equity firm founded in June 2020 by veteran middle market investor Michael B. Kessler and backed by Landon Capital Partners, a Boston-based family office. “We were attracted by 919’s expertise in the franchising and cause-marketing sectors, and ability to provide clients with a proven ROI from a proprietary data-driven content strategy, “says Kessler. We recognize the creative talent of the 919 crew and their strong relationships with clients and are excited to provide guidance and capital to support David and his team in the next stage of the company’s growth.” “919 Marketing is a remarkably strong and resilient firm with a consistent record of growth, says Chris Sullivan, Managing Partner of Landon Capital. “We expect the combination of Landon Capital, Greens Farms Capital, and 919 Marketing to serve as an ideal platform for add-on acquisitions in the fragmented tech-enabled marketing services industry.”

919 Marketing’s growth has been fueled by award-winning work for an impressive roster of cause-marketing and franchise clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. The Company’s results-driven marketing is underpinned by its proprietary data analytics tool called 919 Insights.

“We have big plans for the future and this partnership will allow us to acquire complementary businesses and establish all the tools we need to deliver more comprehensive strategies to help our customers grow and dominate their industries,” says Chapman.

Investors Bank provided debt financing for the transaction; Lowenstein Sandler, Latham & Watkins, and Mazars USA advised Greens Farms Capital and Landon Capital, while Berkery Noyes, Maynard Cooper Gale, and BDO USA, LLP advised 919 Marketing.

About Greens Farms Capital LLC:
Greens Farms Capital LLC (“Greens Farms Capital”) is a Westport, CT-based private equity firm backed by Landon Capital Partners that makes control and non-control investments in lower middle market companies. Greens Farms Capital seeks to invest in and build value in established companies engaged in business services, software and technology, media and marketing services, and value-added manufacturing. We take a long-term, partnership-oriented approach to investing and offer structural flexibility to meet the needs of business owner entrepreneurs. Our flexible capital solutions are used to finance growth initiatives, and add-on acquisitions, and majority and minority recapitalizations. We rely on the management teams to make day-to-day operating decisions and support them with strategic resources to accelerate growth and profitability by leveraging knowledge of best practices, experiences with former portfolio companies and industry contacts. For more information, please visit www.greensfarmscapital.com

About Landon Capital Partners:
Landon Capital Partners (“LCP”) is the direct private equity investment group of the Landon family and its select family office co-investment partners. LCP invests in middle market private equity opportunities primarily in the United States. Our mission is to source, acquire, and manage lower middle market private equity buyouts, targeting opportunities for control equity positions in companies with $5 to $20 million of EBITDA. Preferred LCP investment targets display a high percentage of recurring revenue and strong free cash flow conversion and seek to leverage LCP’s flexible approach to partnership and long-term growth orientation. LCP began operations in 2015 and has offices in Boston and London. For more information, please visit https://www.landoncapital.com.

About 919 Marketing:
Formed in 1996 and headquartered just outside of North Carolina’s, Research Triangle Park and the capital city of Raleigh, 919 is a national content marketing firm with a proven track record of helping companies increase revenue, create a competitive advantage and improve marketing results. We provide high-powered strategic planning, public relations, social media, digital marketing, video and commercial production, business development support and full creative capabilities – each utilizing proven processes and backed by our proprietary data analytics tool called 919 Insights.

Our award-winning staff of marketing strategists, TV and print reporters and social media trailblazers are seasoned experts, providing compelling content marketing to excite, motivate and engage your customers. Visit us at www.919marketing.com.

SOURCE: Greens Farms Capital