Intrepid announced the sale of Uncle Milton Industries, Inc. (Uncle Milton), a portfolio company of Transom Capital Group, to an affiliate of KCB Management. Intrepid initiated the transaction, assisted in the negotiations and served as exclusive financial advisor to Uncle Milton.
Founded in 1946, Uncle Milton is a rapidly growing developer and marketer of science-themed toys and juvenile products, predominantly focused on the activity and room décor categories. The Company is best known for its iconic Ant Farm brand ant habitats, which have sold over 20 million units in its 50 plus year history. Uncle Milton is also well known for the unique In My Room line of juvenile room décor products and exciting Fireworks Lightshow products. In addition, Uncle Milton develops science-themed toys in partnership with a growing portfolio of marquee licensors such as Star Wars, National Geographic, Disney, Marvel and John Deere. Uncle Milton’s heritage and culture of innovation foster a commitment to developing timeless, high quality products that encourage kids’ wonder, exploration and discovery.
KCB Management, headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., is a long-term, control investor in growing small to medium sized businesses. KCB’s long-term investment perspective and commitment of significant personal capital by its principals differentiate the firm from traditional private equity firms.
“We are honored to have been part of this successful chapter in Uncle Milton’s 65 plus year history and are pleased we have been able to assist Frank and his team grow the business,” added Russ Roenick, Managing Director, Transom Capital Group. “We valued Intrepid’s deep toy sector expertise and proactive, hands-on approach throughout the process, which led to a great outcome for management and Transom. We are confident Uncle Milton will continue to capitalize on its rich heritage and iconic brands to launch exciting new products under Frank Adler’s leadership,” continued Ken Firtel, Managing Director, Transom Capital Group.
“The sale of Uncle Milton adds another leading toy business to our roster of successful transactions in the toy and giftware industry,” said Mike Rosenberg, Senior Managing Director of Intrepid. “We were pleased to again work with Transom and such a highly recognized business in the toy sector. We are excited to follow Uncle Milton’s continued success with KCB,” said Adam Abramowitz, Managing Director at Intrepid.