Roasterie & Messenger Coffee sell to Great Range Capital

Great Range Capital (GRC) announced the launch of FairWave™ Holdings, a specialty coffee collective designed to support and grow locally-branded coffee companies.  The first members of the collective are two prominent Kansas City coffee brands: The Roasterie and Messenger Coffee Company. The new holding company will build upon the success of both local brands’ excellent coffee and customer experience, while continuing to promote and protect the beloved identities of these businesses within the local community.

“We are extremely excited to be founding members of FairWave and to partner with Great Range Capital in order to continue to grow and promote local coffee, while keeping the brands and cafes feeling just as they always have been,” Danny O’Neill, founder and CEO of The Roasterie said.

Great Range Capital is pleased to add FairWave to its portfolio of companies, which all maintain their own unique strategies, leadership teams, and investment horizons. GRC has built a trusted reputation for investing in the Heartland, partnering with hard-working and successful entrepreneurs that care deeply about their employees, and celebrating each company’s individual culture and history. 

“Messenger and The Roasterie are known for our customer experiences, our commitment to our employees, and overall supply chain transparencies,” said Ron Matsch, partner of Messenger Coffee Company. “As we designed FairWave with Great Range Capital, it was paramount for us to ensure that the company will always protect these individual identities and what has made our brands special to the community for years.”

O’Neill, Matsch and their partners will continue to remain involved as investors in FairWave, as well as members of the new company’s Board of Directors. For overarching leadership, FairWave is proud to appoint Kansas City local, Dan Trott, as the Chief Executive Officer. Trott brings over 30 years of experience leading businesses in the Food & Beverage industry, including nearly 14 years with PepsiCo. Most recently, Trott served as CEO for Pegasus Foods Inc. and previously served as Chief Operations Officer for Russell Stover.

"We are incredibly honored and humbled to be partnering with The Roasterie and Messenger teams, each of whom we have known for years, in the launch of FairWave,” said Ryan Sprott, Managing Partner of Great Range Capital.  “It is also particularly meaningful for us, given our Kansas City location and Midwestern focus, to contribute to two iconic local brands for their continued growth,” added Mark Robinson, Managing Director at Great Range Capital. “We look forward to seeing the FairWave portfolio grow, with future sights set on aligning with other specialty, local coffee brands in the Midwest and beyond.”

About FairWave™ 

FairWave™ Holdings LLC is a Specialty Coffee Collective that fuels the future of local specialty coffee, through superior experiences and a mission to respect every hand in the journey from seed to cup. FairWave brings financial insights, industry best practices, and behind-the-scenes support, so local brands can stay invested in their product, experience, and local market. FairWave is located in Kansas City, Mo., and led by CEO and beverage industry expert, Dan Trott. For more information, please visit www.FairwaveCollective.com.