Granite Creek Capital Partners today announced its investment in Seedbox Solution (“Seedbox” or the “Company”), a full-service provider of reusable packaging and fleet management solutions to the seed industry. In addition to making available significant growth capital, Granite Creek’s investment supported the management-led buyout of the Company’s previous majority shareholder.
The investment was made in partnership with Granite Creek operating partner and seed industry leader Jim Zimmer. Everside Capital Partners and Hidden River Strategic Capital provided co-investments into the transaction.
Seedbox was founded with the goal of making bulk, reusable seed boxes simpler, easier, and more affordable. The Company distributes its boxes globally while supporting seed producers with servicing operations throughout the Midwest. With its largest facilities in Good Hope, IL, and Shenandoah, IA, Seedbox is positioned to deeply integrate with its customers’ supply chains.
Co-founder and CEO Matt Dannenfeldt and CFO Mike Klug have been with the Company since its inception in 2014 and lead the Company alongside Executive Vice President of Sales Jon Bertolino, Director of Business Development Joe Waldman, and Director of Operations Quintin Bucher.
We are honored to partner with the Seedbox team and excited to back management’s purchase of the business from its prior corporate parent. Starting with just an idea, Matt and his team have created the leading player in the industry, guided by a singular focus centered around making managing seed boxes easier and more efficient for seed producers.
Peter Lehman, Co-Founder and Partner at Granite Creek“We look forward to working with Granite Creek and Jim Zimmer, whose deep experience and connectivity in the seed industry will be invaluable as we embark on this next chapter of growth,” said Seedbox Co-Founder and CEO, Matt Dannenfeldt. “This partnership positions us to invest in a variety of growth initiatives to better serve our customers, including expanding our seed box wash and repair business and growing our unified box rental/service. We will also be able to expedite the introduction of cutting edge ‘smart box’ technology, allowing our customers to monitor seed product location, health, and status in real-time through the supply chain.”
In conjunction with Granite Creek’s investment in Seedbox, Peter Lehman and Jim Zimmer will join the Company’s board of directors. Zimmer is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Moraine Farmland Partners, a Granite Creek platform extension focused on acquiring and operating Midwestern farmland.