BOSTON, MA – April 24, 2023 – Exaltare Capital Management, LLC (“Exaltare”), a Boston based private investment firm with a focus on franchise and multi-unit investments, acquired GF Midwest, Inc. (“GF Midwest” or “the Company”). GF Midwest, headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, is one of the largest developers and operators of the Good Feet Store, operating 23 franchises across 9 states. The Good Feet Store has served customers by selling proprietary arch supports to alleviate pain and increase performance and comfort for over 30 years.
GF Midwest was founded by Arnold Pereira in 2000, who was one of the first franchisees in the Good Feet Store brand. The Company has grown to 23 retail locations, and is the second largest franchisee in the Good Feet system. Following this investment, Arnold Pereira will continue to be the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and remain a significant shareholder.
Exaltare’s Managing Partner & Founder, Omar Simmons, said, “We are excited to partner with a leading franchisee in the Good Feet Store system. GF Midwest has a strong track record of growth and we plan to help scale the Company via new store development and acquisitions. The Company’s growth plan will help it enable more customers to live healthier, more active lives.”
Arnold Pereira stated, “This partnership with Exaltare will enable GF Midwest to accelerate its growth. I am excited to work with the Exaltare team – with their experience in growing franchised multi-unit businesses, they stood out as a great partner for the next phase of growth for GF Midwest.”
Richard Moore, the Chief Executive Officer of the franchisor, Good Feet Worldwide, said, “We are delighted and honored to have Exaltare joining the Good Feet family as a strategic partner to one of our longest-standing and largest franchisees, the Pereiras. Exaltare brings deep and relevant expertise based on its track record of successful health and wellness investments, such as those in Planet Fitness and Urban Air. Having worked with Exaltare before Good Feet, I know first hand how well Exaltare collaborates with its portfolio companies, seeking to add value while allowing the company to operate the business on a day-to-day basis. Exaltare is a perfect fit with Good Feet’s mission, brand, and business overall.”
This acquisition is Exaltare’s third platform in franchising, and in each platform, Exaltare has been the first institutional investor in the franchise system. In Planet Fitness, Exaltare grew its platform from 15 units to 108 before selling a controlling stake in 2021. In 2022, Exaltare invested in the Urban Air franchise system by forming Elevated Venture Holdings, with parks in Texas, Florida and Oklahoma, and is actively grow via acquisition and development.
The transaction was financed by Exaltare Capital, Genesis Park and Tecum Capital who provided debt and equity capital.
Exaltare’s Director, Alexei Popov, stated, “We could not be more excited to join forces with our partners in this investment – Arnold Pereira and the GF Midwest team, the Good Feet system, and our financing partners, Genesis Park and Tecum Capital. This is our first investment alongside Genesis Park and Tecum Capital, and they have been great partners and flexible and supportive throughout the transaction.”
Triago advised on capital raising for this transaction while DLA Piper acted as Exaltare’s legal advisor.
About Exaltare Capital Management
Exaltare Capital Management is a private investment firm with a focus on franchise and multi-unit investments. ECM’s principals have significant private equity and operational experience that enables the firm to be a value-added partner to its portfolio companies. Exaltare looks to invest in founder-owned businesses with $2 to $25 million of EBITDA. Since 2012, Exaltare has completed 17 platform and add-on transactions in multi-unit and franchised businesses, representing over 250 individual locations and over $900 million of capital. For more information, visit www.exaltarecapital.com.
About The Good Feet Store
Founded in 1992, The Good Feet Store is the market-leading manufacturer and retailer of premium, personally fitted arch supports, with more than 200 retail locations in the U.S. and abroad. Engineered for comfort and pain relief in more than 400 styles and sizes, Good Feet Arch Supports are personally fitted to the precise needs and preferences of its customers and are backed by a Manufacturer’s Lifetime Limited Warranty. The Good Feet Store operates with an end-to-end approach to maximize performance and ensure consistent quality standards. Good Feet Arch Supports are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility in Carlsbad, California, and supplied exclusively to its retail locations. Each Good Feet Store location is staffed with well-trained Good Feet Arch Support Specialists who provide customers with a no-obligation, free, personalized fitting. To learn more about The Good Feet Store and Good Feet Arch Supports, and to see Good Feet Store reviews from actual customers, visit www.goodfeet.com.
About Genesis Park
Genesis Park is a Houston-based private credit and equity investment firm. Its current investment fund, GP Capital Partners, LP, is licensed as a Small Business Investment Company (“SBIC”) by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Genesis Park supports growth and later stage lower middle market businesses through flexible debt and equity capital solutions and strategic guidance. Genesis Park generally targets companies with at least $10 million of revenue and $2 million of EBITDA, with proven business models and seasoned management teams. Managed by four experienced investment professionals with broad regional relationships, Genesis Park is committed to partnering with the companies and management teams in which it invests to facilitate growth, transition, and success. For more information, visit www.genesis-park.com.
About Tecum Capital
Tecum Capital is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based private investment firm deploying capital in lower middle-market companies. Tecum provides mezzanine debt and equity investments in growth-oriented middle-market companies across the broader high-value manufacturing, value-added distribution, and business services sectors. Our team partners with independent sponsors, family offices, committed funds, business owners seeking succession plans, and management teams to create shared success. Tecum focuses on businesses with EBITDA greater than $3 million. Tecum seeks to invest $5 million to $20 million in potential portfolio companies. Tecum manages two Small Business Investment Company (“SBIC”) licensed funds and is currently investing out of Tecum Capital Partners III, L.P, a $300 million fund launched in September 2021. Since 2006, the team has collectively invested more than $850 million in over 100 platform and add-on acquisitions. For more information, please visit www.tecum.com.