Branford Castle Fund III Putting Down its Roots with Leading Specialty Plant-Nutrition Provider

BOCA RATON, Fla. and NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Branford Castle Partners (“Branford Castle” or the “Firm”), a private equity firm focused on lower-middle-market investments in North-America, today announced that it has acquired Floratine Products Group, Inc. (“Floratine” or the “Company”), a leading formulator and manufacturer of specialty plant-nutrition products for golf courses, sports turf and agricultural applications. Terms of the transaction, which represents the first investment made by Branford Castle’s Fund III, were not disclosed.

Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Collierville, Tennessee, Floratine is a leading developer of foliar, soil and specialty products designed to improve turf health, appearance and stress tolerance. The Company, which serves customers through a specialized international distributor network, combines product innovation with agronomic expertise, in-house diagnostics and technical support to help turf professionals maintain healthy and high-quality playing surfaces across a variety of sports applications. Through its Earthstrong business, a subsidiary established in 2021, the Company extends its science-based plant-nutrition capabilities to the agricultural industry to help growers improve soil health and crop performance. Branford Castle is partnering with Kevin Cavanaugh, Mike Cavanaugh and the broader Floratine team to support the Company’s next phase of growth.

“Floratine fits our investment criteria to a tee: a leader in a specialized market, differentiated products, long-standing customer relationships and an experienced management team,” said Ceon Francis, Managing Director at Branford Castle. “The Company is uniquely positioned to capitalize on attractive sector trends across sports and agriculture, and we are excited to partner with Kevin and the Floratine team to help build on that foundation through continued product innovation, deeper distributor relationships and disciplined growth.”

“Branford Castle shares our commitment to building on our industry-leading market presence, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them as we accelerate our long-term growth strategy,” said Kevin Cavanaugh, President & CEO of Floratine. “Since our founding, we have prided ourselves on delivering the most advanced plant and soil nutrition solutions to the people who manage the world’s finest turf, and we look forward to continuing to drive innovation across the plant-nutrition market, as well as to expanding our product offerings and distribution to better serve our customers.”

“Floratine is an excellent first investment for Fund III and reflects our continued focus on building niche market leaders,” added John S. Castle, President and CEO of Branford Castle. “Kevin and the Floratine team have established a lasting reputation for delivering leading solutions across its product line with a strong focus on meeting its customers’ specialty needs. We also hope our new strategic partner, Marubeni Corporation, will help enhance value as we support Floratine’s next phase of growth.”

Branford Castle was advised by its transaction legal counsel Akerman, Vedder as its financing legal counsel, and RSM served as its accounting and tax advisor. Bridgepoint Investment Banking acted as financial advisor to Floratine. Byline Bank is providing senior debt financing and Northstar Capital is providing mezzanine debt financing for the transaction.

ABOUT BRANFORD CASTLE PARTNERS
Branford Castle is a private market investor focused on lower middle-market investments, with more than 40 years of experience partnering with and helping to grow market-leading businesses in niche industries. The Firm typically makes control investments in companies with up to $15 million of EBITDA, and prides itself on developing strong relationships with its portfolio company management teams. Branford Castle has particular expertise in industrials/specialty manufacturing, consumer products, business services and logistics.

ABOUT FLORATINE PRODUCTS GROUP
Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Collierville, Tennessee, Floratine Products Group develops and manufactures specialty foliar, soil and plant-nutrition products for golf courses and sports turf. Through a specialized distributor network, Floratine combines innovative formulations, diagnostic capabilities and agronomic support to help turf professionals maintain healthy, high-quality playing surfaces. The Company also serves agricultural markets through its Earthstrong business.

Media Contact:

ASC Advisors
Taylor Ingraham / Max Rayden
branfordcastle@ascadvisors.com
203-992-1230

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SOURCE Branford Castle Partners