Gryphon and Portfolio Company News
TrustHouse Services Group & Valley Services, Inc. Merge
TrustHouse Services Group (“TrustHouse”), a leading Healthcare, Education and Corrections focused food services company, announced today that it has merged with Valley Services, Inc. (“Valley”). The transaction, which closed on June 1, 2012, is the third transaction closed by TrustHouse in the last twelve months, following the company’s purchase of A’viands, LLC in July 2011 and Lindley Food Service this past April. TrustHouse is a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, a San Francisco-based premier middle-market private equity firm. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Valley Services is headquartered in Jackson, MS and has been in business for 52 years providing food services in 20 states. Like TrustHouse, Valley’s revenues are principally derived from the Healthcare and Education sectors. Valley is the nation’s market leader in the Senior Nutrition sector, providing home and congregate nutrition services to the elderly.
The combined company will rank as the sixth largest food services provider in the United States and the fourth largest in the Healthcare and Education sectors.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TrustHouse, Michael J. Bailey, said, “This is a very significant transaction for our Company. TrustHouse will now have annual revenues approaching $500 million and trade in 44 states. Valley Services is a great business run by a very successful and talented team which I am delighted to say will remain with the business and become significant shareholders in the combined company. Valley’s presence in the Senior Nutrition sector, together with our Lindley Food Services business, makes us the clear market leader in the United States in that attractive and growing sector. One in five Americans will reach the age of 65 by 2020, resulting in over 70 million seniors.”
Going forward, Valley Services will continue to operate as a stand-alone division managed by CEO Jim Walt and his team. Mr. Walt commented, “We are very excited about the prospects for the combined business. Through greater access to capital and additional resources resulting from the merger, we believe Valley Services and TrustHouse will achieve faster growth. Our combined strength will create greater opportunities for all our clients, employees and stakeholders.”
Gryphon Partner Keith Stimson commented, “The transaction is very strategic for TrustHouse in that it deepens the company’s already strong presence in the attractive Healthcare and Education end-markets. Valley also provides a significant presence in the southern U.S. and will enable TrustHouse to more fully address the growing demand in the Senior Nutrition market. We are delighted to have Jim Walt and his talented management team become part of the business.” The transaction was brokered by McColl Partners, and Legacy Capital and Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein acted as legal counsel to TrustHouse.
About TrustHouse
TrustHouse Services Group (www.trusthouseservices.com) is a leading food service provider focused on the Healthcare and Education sectors and, before the close of the transaction, managed over 420 client accounts across 33 states. Divisions of TrustHouse include Aladdin Food Management based in Wheeling, WV; AmeriServe Food Management headquartered in Columbia, MO; Fitz Vogt & Associates located in Walpole, NH; A’viands, LLC in Minneapolis, MN; and Lindley Food Services located in New Haven, CT. TrustHouse is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and was founded in 2008 by Michael J. Bailey and Gryphon Investors, a San Francisco-based premier middle-market private equity firm.
About Valley Services, Inc.
Valley Services, Inc.(www.valleyinc.com) is a leader in the contract food services market and is presently the 10th largest food service provider in the United States. Valley manages over 250 client accounts in 20 states and was founded in 1960. The majority of the company’s revenues are derived from the Education and Healthcare sectors. The company is the market leader in the Senior Nutrition market, providing nutrition services for the elderly. The business is headquartered in Jackson, MS.
About Gryphon Investors
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) focuses on leveraged acquisitions of, and growth investments in, middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management. Having managed $1 billion of discretionary equity capital, Gryphon has an extensive track record of investing $25 to $100 million of its own capital in companies with sales ranging from $25 to $250 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form proactive partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon’s capital, professional resources and operational expertise.
Contacts
For TrustHouse:
Michael J. Bailey
For Valley:
Jim Walt
For Gryphon:
Caroline Luz
Lambert & Co.
203-656-2829
CLUZ@LAMBERT.COM