Former Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams CEO John Lowe forms restaurant-focused private equity fundFormer Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams CEO John Lowe forms restaurant-focused private equity fund

John Lowe — former CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and current board member at White Castle — has formed a restaurant and retail-focused private equity fund: the Amok Consumer Growth Fund. Amok is looking to “invest in and scale consumer-focused, early-stage businesses in restaurants and retail,” particularly brands with “tremendous products and outsized fan support” that need financial backing and expertise in order to scale.

“We pick winners, and then we help them win bigger,” Lowe said in a statement. “Each of us on the Amok Consumer team has bet big on a brand long before the rest of the world saw its potential as a breakout winner. We’ve come together as a team because helping early-stage consumer brands is where the fun is. It gets us out of bed in the morning.”

Alongside Lowe, the leadership team at Amok includes operating partner Rachelle Lynch (20 years of experience scaling CPG products like Burt’s Bees, Plum Organics, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Hu Kitchen, and Magic Spoon); operating partner Timmy McCarthy (Raising Cane’s first franchisee who now has 44 franchises in his portfolio); and operating partner/CFO Ryan Parish (25 years of investment banking and private equity experience, particularly food and beverage, household products, personal care, health and wellness, and restaurants).

“Each of the partners behind Amok Consumer has had a successful career growing businesses in CPG, multi-location retail and e-commerce,” Lowe said. “Together, we act as thought-partners to founders and leadership teams as they navigate the myriad issues impacting their business.”

Amok is currently finalizing agreements with two concepts that will serve as the private equity fund’s first investments: a Los Angeles-based café concept and a consumer-packaged goods company that sells its products at Whole Foods Market located in the Midwest.

Amok Consumer Growth Fund will provide investments for its partners ranging from $500,000 to $5 million, and will also provide operational support in sales, finance, development, and marketing, as the equity fund looks to help businesses scale to the next level.

“We are investors, yes, but at the core we are operators who love helping founders and leaders fulfill their business potential,” Lowe said. “The early growth stage of businesses is where the fun is. It’s where we’ve each made a name and where we can lean in and provide the most value for companies.”

Contact Joanna at [email protected]