PMCF Advises The Grote Company Family of Brands in its Transaction with BBH Capital Partners Private Equity
have sold a minority interest to
PMCF Investment Banking (“PMCF”) is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive investment banker to J.E. Grote Company, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively “Grote” or the “Company”) in its sale of a minority interest to Brown Brothers Harriman Capital Partners Private Equity (“BBHCP”).
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Grote is a global leader in high-end commercial food processing and automation solutions. Founded in 1972, the Company was the first-mover and creator of the automated “slice-and-apply” product category in the pizza industry. The Company has since amassed a strong legacy of innovation, continually expanding its portfolio across all food categories both in the U.S. and internationally. Today, Grote serves as a one-stop provider of highly engineered, customized automation solutions, including assembly lines, slicers, applicators, conveying systems, peelers, washers, and hydro cutters, along with a comprehensive lineup of consumable replacement parts and service offerings. Its “Family of Brands” brings together five complementary businesses – including Grote, Vanmark, PFI, ProFab, and SPI – to deliver integrated, end-to-end solutions to customers worldwide.
BBHCP is the private equity arm of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., a financial services firm with a legacy spanning over 200 years. BBHCP partners with growth-oriented, middle-market companies, offering thoughtful and flexible capital solutions. With the ability to invest in both control and non-control positions, BBHCP supports a range of transactions, including management and leveraged buyouts, growth financing, recapitalizations, buy-and-build strategies, and acquisitions.
PMCF served as exclusive investment banker to Grote, overseeing the entire transaction process. Bob Grote, Shareholder & CEO, remarked, “We’re thrilled to have found a strategic partner in BBHCP, whose global network and deep resources will help accelerate our growth. As we continue to expand, we look forward to working closely with our new partners — while staying grounded in our core values of Agape Capitalism, which have been fundamental to establishing Grote as a leader in food processing solutions. PMCF brought invaluable guidance and a white-glove approach, as they designed a process customized to finding an investor with similar values and culture. Their thoughtful and steadfast support was instrumental in aligning us with a partner who shares our vision for what Grote can become.”
Joe Wagner, Managing Director of PMCF, added, “The PMCF and Grote cultures aligned from our first meeting and we were thrilled the family selected us to represent them in this pivotal transaction. Grote has a rich legacy providing innovative and turn-key automation solutions to the food processing industry and is set up to serve as a key growth platform with their new partners, BBHCP. It’s been a privilege to support the Company in this key chapter of its storied history, and we look forward to watching what they will achieve.”
The transaction closed in March 2025. Kegler Brown Hill & Ritter served as the legal advisor to the Company.
About PMCF
PMCF is a client-centric middle market investment bank providing merger and acquisition advisory services to private, public, and private equity-owned companies worldwide. We combine our expansive industry and transactional expertise with highly engaged senior-level bankers to create tailored solutions for all our clients. PMCF helps clients meet their sale, acquisition, financing, and strategic growth objectives through a broad range of services, including sale advisory, acquisition advisory, capital raising, transaction planning, and strategic advisory. We have dedicated professionals focused on key industry verticals including business & technology services, manufacturing, distribution, transportation & logistics, plastics & packaging, healthcare, and consumer & retail industries.
