Devacurl partners with TCP

DevaCurl, a hair care brand dedicated to curly hair along with its affiliated Devachan salons, has partnered with Tengram Capital Partners. TCP is a Connecticut-based private equity firm that focuses exclusively on middle-market consumer and retail companies.

PRESS RELEASE

DevaCurl,
a leading professional and prestige hair care brand dedicated to curly hair along with its
affiliated Devachan salons (www.devachansalon.com), has partnered with Tengram Capital
Partners, LLC, (“TCP”), a Connecticut-based private equity firm that focuses exclusively on
middle-market consumer and retail companies that own exceptional, highly recognizable
brands.
DevaCurl offers a complete line of sulfate, silicone and paraben-free cleansers, conditioners
and styling products sold through professional salon distributors and prestige retail partners.
As the original brand in the curly hair segment and the first to create a sulfate-free cleanser,
DevaCurl has been able to achieve and maintain a high level of brand authenticity and
attract a broad, multi-cultural community of “curly girls”. DevaCurl and Devachan salons have
educated curly girls the world over about how to satisfy their hair’s unique needs. DevaCurl
serves its clients and stylists through its own salons and education facilities, including its
New York and Los Angeles flagship salons. In addition, the Company currently operates two
academies where stylists learn about the specific needs of curly-haired consumers and the
innovative DevaCurl method of cleansing, styling, and cutting. There, they also develop
value-added services for their salons, and are trained in the specific use and applications of
the entire line of DevaCurl products. Expanding its education offering to better serve the
stylist community will be a point of focus for the Company going forward.
Denis da Silva, the Company’s founder, expressed his excitement about the new partnership
and the growth prospects for the business. “DevaCurl has always positioned itself as a
premium professional hair care collection serving the unique needs of the curly girl. Our
partnership with TCP will accelerate my dream of delivering innovative products, designed
and created by stylists, specifically for women with curly hair around the world.”
Concurrent with this investment, Tengram has recruited a seasoned professional hair care
executive, Colin Walsh, to serve as President of the Company. Prior to joining DevaCurl, Mr.
Walsh led the highly successful turnaround of Matrix USA, the second largest professional
brand in the U.S. and an integral part of the L’Oreal Professional Products Division.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Walsh added, “I am thrilled to join DevaCurl as its new
President at this exciting time in the brand’s development. I look forward to working with
Denis da Silva, one of the most innovative stylists in the industry, and the entire DevaCurl
team to continue to serve, strengthen and grow the vibrant community of curly girls. I am
also very pleased to partner with Tengram and the Board of Directors of DevaCurl during this
next phase of growth.”
TCP invests in and partners with companies across the consumer sector. The firm invests in
strong brands and management teams and acts as a catalyst to drive the growth of the
companies in which it invests. TCP’s principals have significant consumer expertise and
focus on certain segments, including apparel, accessories, sporting goods, home furnishings
and health and beauty.
Richard Gersten, Partner of TCP, stated, “Having previously evaluated a number of
businesses in this category, we found DevaCurl to be particularly compelling, given its
passionate consumer base and leadership position in its segment. Curly-haired consumers
exhibit a high degree of product loyalty, and DevaCurl has created an almost cult-like
following.”
“We have tremendous respect for what Denis has been able to accomplish with the
DevaCurl brand and its current distribution partners,” added Matthew D. Eby, Managing
Partner of TCP. “We are thrilled to have Colin, a rising star in the hair care industry, join
Denis and the rest of the DevaCurl team to drive the brand’s expansion, invest in new salon
and academy openings, and build a first class organization dedicated to serving the curlyhaired
community.”
ABOUT DEVACURL:
DevaCurl is the category leader in curly retail products and professional salon opportunities.
The Company is committed to satisfying all their curly client needs and developing innovative
products and services including the DevaCurl curl care collection, Deva Cut and Pintura
highlighting technique to support a curly lifestyle. The DevaCurl collection of curl care
products originated with thousands of enthusiastic curly clients at the Devachan Salons in
New York City, and now Los Angeles. The innovative curl care collection of sulfate, silicone
and paraben-free conditioning cleansers, styling and finishing products address curly hair’s
specific needs using healthy oils and botanical extracts that cleanse, hydrate, define natural
texture, and lock-in moisture.
ABOUT TENGRAM CAPITAL PARTNERS:
Tengram Capital Partners, LLC is a private equity firm that focuses exclusively on leading
middle-market consumer and retail companies that own strong recognizable brands. The
team has a diverse background of consumer investing and operating expertise that assists
and guides company management to unlock the true potential of their brand. Tengram
invests in both traditional “growth” and “restructuring/turnaround” situations in either the
public or private sectors. Previous and current investments for Tengram and its predecessor
investment entity, Windsong Brands, LLC, include Laura Geller Beauty, NEST Fragrances,
Sequential Brands Group, Robert Graham, Joe Boxer, Joe’s Jeans, Field & Stream, Design
Within Reach, and Cloudveil.