Forward Consumer Partners

Forward Consumer Partners is delighted to announce our second acquisition. We have proudly partnered with Xochitl (pronounced “so-cheel”), an authentic, heritage brand of premium tortilla chips and salsas. Xochitl was founded in 1995 by the one and only Carlos Salinas, with a mission to provide the finest products and flavors crafted from authentic ancient recipes. Beginning with a salsa recipe passed down for nearly a century, Xochitl found true commercial success with its distinctively thin and crispy tortilla chips packaged in an iconic craft paper bag. Carlos and his talented team have built the Xochitl brand with heart, focus, and an unwavering commitment to quality over the past 29 years, and as a result have grown Xochitl into the leading independent brand of corn tortilla chips in America. As 50/50 partners in Xochitl, we couldn’t be more excited to grow this brand together. Carlos and I began our friendship in 2019, and we share an abiding commitment to the quality and craftsmanship that underpin everything Xochitl stands for. We look forward to all that the Company will accomplish in the coming years, and we sincerely thank everyone who helped bring this partnership to life. Onward and Forward!

Forward Consumer Partners is thrilled to announce our first acquisition. We have proudly partnered with Firehook Bakery, a fast-growing artisan baking business founded by Pierre A. Abushacra. Firehook traces its roots back to 1992, when the Company opened its doors as a neighborhood bakery in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Pierre and his talented team have built the Firehook brand with care, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to quality over the past 32 years, and as a result have grown Firehook into the #1 brand of artisanal crackers in America. Pierre will retain a significant minority ownership stake in the Company going forward. To make things even more exciting, we have the honor of announcing a few additions to Firehook’s leadership team. The incomparable Maura Mottolese, who has stewarded Cholula, Tate’s Bake Shop, and other category-defining brands, has joined as Firehook’s Chief Executive Officer. Terry Bigham, who has led sales at Cholula, Tate’s Bake Shop, and Carbone, has joined as Firehook’s Chief Growth Officer. Ellen Howse, who has held senior marketing roles at Godiva, Hello Products, and Dewey’s Bakery, has joined as Firehook’s Chief Marketing Officer. These three individuals join the passionate and talented team already in place at Firehook, and we look forward to announcing more additions in the coming months. Pierre and I began our friendship in 2017, and even then it was clear that Firehook had incredible potential. The business has continued to thrive over the years and we see so much opportunity for what it can achieve in the future. As a powerful brand that makes beloved products, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect first partnership for Forward. We sincerely thank everyone who helped bring this to life. Onward and Forward!

Forward Consumer Partners is thrilled to announce the closing of Forward Fund I at its $425 million hard cap.   Launched in June 2023 and closed in December 2023, Fund I was significantly oversubscribed with support from a diverse base of respected global investors. We held a single close and did not use a placement agent.   This outcome was enabled by two simple ingredients: incredible people and clarity of purpose.   On people: Forward would simply not exist without the support of dozens of wildly talented individuals. The Forward Crew (Imran M., Matthew Jung, Eileen Sullivan, Nancy Sun, Vince Sirianni, and Dana Shanahan) brings the tenacity and optimism that define our firm. Our amazing Advisory Board (Maura Mottolese, Timothy Barakett, Joel Clark, Olivier Durand, Zac Efron, Greg Eisner, Shu Hung, Miguel Leal, Dr. Valerie Oswalt, Stephen Schwanhausser, Pat Tenore, Jody Williams) bring guidance and wisdom to sharpen our decision-making and accelerate our progress. Our extended family (John Berger, Jeffrey Kaplan, Patrick Valenti, Collin Maenhout, Samuel R. Scarcello, Sam Lockwood-Powell, Cody Min, Hannah Paul, Taylor Gramkow, and many more) brings deep domain expertise to broaden our reach and capabilities.   On purpose: We’re fortunate to have simple clarity on why Forward exists. We’re here to help build enduring consumer businesses, providing each portfolio company with the partnership, resources, experience, and ambition to make progress toward its potential. This is our purpose in 2024, and will be our purpose in 2044 as well.   Today is a special day for Forward, and we couldn’t be more excited to begin this new chapter.   Onward and Forward!