Private brand exec joins investment firm
David Darragh, who celebrates more than 30 years working as a senior executive for private brand manufacturers and contract manufacturers, has joined the investment firm LongueVue Capital to support the firm’s food and beverage investment strategy.
Most recently, Darragh was CEO of Reily Foods, growing its beverage and condiments brands, developing new products and making key acquisitions, such as New England Coffee and French Market Coffee. Before that, he was president of Zatarain’s Inc., a subsidiary of McCormick & Co., growing the regional brand to a national brand. He also spent time on the Hot Pockets brand of Chef America.
LongueVue, based in New Orleans, said it is pursuing investment opportunities across the value chain, including value-added ingredient suppliers, contract manufacturers, innovative co-packing partners, and niche branded product companies, and Darragh will work to support this strategy. LVC is focused on businesses with deep category experience, strong track records of innovation, exceptional quality and safety standards, and broad manufacturing or sourcing capabilities.
"LongueVue Capital has a unique, partnership-oriented approach to investing that resonates with entrepreneurs seeking both growth capital and thought partners to take their businesses to the next level,” Darragh said. “This approach is ideal for the constantly evolving food and beverage sector where consumption patterns have shifted dramatically, creating tremendous opportunities for operators in the space. I am very excited to be joining the LVC team and to work with our management team partners to accelerate growth and create value for their businesses."
Ray Jeandron, a partner at LongueVue, who helps lead the firm's strategy, said, "David has a tremendous track record of building best-in-class brands, highly efficient supply chains, and strong consumer reach across multiple geographies and product formats. We are excited to be pursuing opportunities with David in the vast and dynamic food and beverage sector. He is a great cultural fit here at LVC and will be a strong partner to our entrepreneurial management teams."