Orangewood Partners

What Orangewood Partners does

Orangewood Partners is a New York-based, SEC-registered private investment firm founded in 2015 by Alan Goldfarb, a former Carlyle Group distressed-fund principal and Senator Investment Group Managing Director. The firm executes a thesis-driven lower-middle-market private equity strategy, targeting North American companies with $10M-$20M of EBITDA through control, 50/50, or structured minority equity checks of $25M-$100M+. Its investment activity is concentrated in two sectors, Consumer Services and Business Services, with sub-specializations in multi-unit franchise operators, human capital businesses, and health and wellness assets. Notable franchise platforms include Pacific Bells (Taco Bell, 250+ units across nine states), Motley 7 Brew (drive-thru coffee), OCS (Popeyes), and SERVPRO West Coast DRT, complemented by non-franchise holdings such as Barrington James (life sciences staffing), DLA (audit and accounting advisory), Exer Urgent Care, and Peaceable Street Capital (real estate specialty finance).

The firm operates through private equity fund vehicles (Fund II closed March 2021 at over $200M in equity commitments plus approximately $100M across other vehicles; Fund III currently in formation), generating revenue primarily through management fees on approximately $1.3B+ of AUM as of May 2026. Orangewood's distribution of fund interests relies on direct institutional sales to state pension plans, endowments, insurance companies, and family offices, supplemented by placement agents. The firm differentiates through a research-heavy thematic sourcing approach, a long-term founder partnership model that often retains founders in minority stakes, and a formalized Operating Partner Group drawing on former executives from Yum! Brands, Darden Restaurants, Brinker International, Kimco Realty, and Miso Robotics to drive operational improvements under its FIIT value creation framework.

Geographically, Orangewood focuses exclusively on North America and runs a lean team of investment professionals, operating partners, and a Chief Compliance Officer / CFO out of its 545 Madison Avenue headquarters. Recent recognition includes Inc. Magazine's 2023 Founder-Friendly Investors list and GCI Publishing's 2022 ranking among the top 50 middle-market PE firms, supporting continued institutional LP appetite as Fund III is raised.

Name

Orangewood Partners

Legal name

Orangewood Partners Management LLC

Website

https://orangewoodpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity / Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business Services (B2B) Growth Equity (FSANACAD)

Keywords

• Private equity investment
• Growth equity capital
• Franchise multi-unit investing
• Lower middle market
• Fund management services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Private Equity Investment Returns: Generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies, realizing gains through exits. Invests in control and structured minority positions in growth-oriented private transactions.
2. Asset Management: Manages private equity funds (Fund I, Fund II, and Fund III in progress) with equity commitments from institutional investors including state pension plans, endowments, insurance companies, asset managers, fund-of-funds, high-net worth individuals and family offices.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Orangewood Partners is a New York-based private investment firm that makes growth-oriented private equity investments, typically with equity checks of $25M to $100M+, in lower-middle market companies with $10M-$20M EBITDA in consumer and business services sectors. The firm invests through control, 50/50 partnerships, and structured minority positions alongside founders and management teams, focusing on multi-unit franchise operators, human capital, health & wellness, and real estate finance. It manages private equity funds (Fund II and Fund III in formation) for institutional limited partners including state pension plans, endowments, insurance companies, and family offices.

Product overview

Orangewood Partners is a New York-based private investment firm offering a single unified investment platform focused on growth-oriented private equity transactions. The firm operates primarily through its fund vehicles (Fund II, L.P. and the in-formation Fund III), targeting control and structured minority investments in founder-led businesses with $25M-$100M+ equity checks. The firm's investment strategy spans multiple portfolio companies across consumer services, business services, and specialized sectors including franchise, multi-unit, human capital, and health & wellness. The platform differentiates through its Operating Partner Group providing strategic guidance and its FIIT value creation framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Orangewood Fund II, L.P.
• Orangewood Fund III

Quantifiable outcome

• ABTB unit count grew 63% from initial acquisition (24 locations to 39 total)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Jake BrewercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Joined as Managing Director of Operations. Brings 15 years of restaurant operations, strategy, and technology experience from Miso Robotics, CKE Restaurants, Yum! Brands, and Kroger.
• Chuck SonstebycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Joined as Operating Partner. Industry veteran with expertise in business strategy, M&A, operations, franchising, and finance. Previously CFO at Brinker International and Michaels Companies. Currently Lead Independent Director for Darden Restaurants and board member of Valvoline Inc.
• Anchor Point Management GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Co-founded Motley 7 Brew (M7B) in 2022 with Anchor Point Management Group, a diversified national management platform focused on Restaurants, Food & Beverage, and Beauty, Health & Wellness sectors. M7B operates 7 Brew Coffee franchise stands in Ohio, Georgia, and Texas.
• ABDD Capital (Judd and Erica Wishnow)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Acquired eight additional Taco Bell restaurants in Louisville market through ABTB platform. ABDD Capital focuses on generating stable returns through acquisition, development and operation of Quick Service Restaurants.
• Southpaw Restaurant Group (ABDD Capital)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2018Partnership to acquire and operate Taco Bell franchises in Louisville, Kentucky market. ABDD (now Southpaw) co-founded ABTB platform with Orangewood in 2018. Judd and Erica Wishnow, founders of Southpaw/ABDD, later joined Orangewood as Operating Partners after successful exit.
• David B. Henry (Former Kimco CEO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Co-founded Peaceable Street Capital with David Henry, former Vice-Chairman and CEO of Kimco Realty Corporation. Peaceable Street is a specialty finance platform providing preferred equity to small and mid-sized income producing real estate in North America.
• Peppertree Capital ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2015Partnership with cell tower specialist Peppertree Capital for K2 Towers investments. First investment (K2 Towers) grew from ~79 to 290 towers. Second partnership (K2 Towers II) grew to 372 towers. Both investments saw successful exits to strategic acquirers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Roark Capital: Large multi-strategy PE firm with deep franchise and multi-unit franchisee focus (Inspire Brands, Subway, Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby's). Highly comparable to Orangewood's franchise/multi-unit thesis but operates at materially greater AUM scale and brand breadth.
• Wynnchurch Capital: Mid-market PE firm with exposure to business services, multi-unit, and consumer. Comparable strategic orientation to Orangewood though broader sector mandate and slightly larger typical equity checks.

Direct peers

• Sentinel Capital Partners: Lower-middle-market PE firm focused on consumer, business services, and healthcare with $25M-$100M+ equity checks. Directly comparable to Orangewood in fund size, sector focus, and target EBITDA profile ($10M-$50M).
• Garnett Station Partners: Lower-middle-market PE firm focused on consumer and business services with $25M-$150M equity checks. Highly comparable to Orangewood in size, sector, and partnership-style investing approach with founders and management.
• Trinity Hunt Partners: Lower-middle-market growth-oriented PE firm investing in business and consumer services with $25M-$100M+ equity checks. Comparable to Orangewood in fund size, sector focus, and founder-friendly orientation.
• Atlantic Street Capital: Lower-middle-market PE firm focused on business services, healthcare services, and consumer with $25M-$200M+ equity checks. Directly comparable in deal size, sector, and partnership investing approach.
• Bregal Sagemount: Growth-oriented PE firm focused on business services, consumer, and healthcare with $25M-$150M+ equity checks. Comparable to Orangewood in size, sector focus, and growth equity orientation.
• Mainsail Partners: Growth equity firm focused on founder-led, lower-middle-market companies in business and consumer services with $25M-$100M+ equity checks. Comparable fund size, founder-friendly orientation, and sector focus.
• NewSpring Capital: Lower-middle-market PE firm with growth and control strategies across business services, consumer, and healthcare. Comparable fund size, sector breadth, and lower-middle-market focus.
• Starr Investment Holdings: Lower-middle-market PE firm focused on business services and consumer with founder-friendly approach. Comparable to Orangewood's thesis on partnership-style investing with founders and management teams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orangewood Partners