Madera, CA - March 12, 2008 - The Central Valley Fund, a private investment fund focused on middle market Central Valley companies, today announced a mezzanine investment of $3.35M in Ultra Gro, LLC ("Ultra Gro" or the "Company").

 

The capital was used to fund a buyout of the Company by a management team with deep agricultural experience, several of whom have tenure with the Company in complementary sales, consulting, and financial capacities.

 

Originally founded in 1985, Ultra Gro formulates, blends, and distributes liquid agricultural fertilizers customized for a diverse group of crop growers, primarily in the Central San Joaquin Valley.

 

Ed McNulty, a partner with the Central Valley Fund, stated, "We are pleased to be able to assist in enabling an energized and committed management team to carry on and build Ultra Gro's reputation in the Central Valley as a high-quality, value-added provider of customized fertilizer blends."

 

Craig Fourchy, Ultra Gro's newly-appointed CEO, remarked, "Partnering with a local fund like CVF, both financially and strategically, was an instrumental step in allowing for the new leadership at Ultra Gro to capitalize on the opportunities that the prior owners have cultivated over more than twenty years of dedicated effort in the Central Valley."

The Central Valley Fund was established by the principals of Gael Partners, LLC to finance later stage growth through mezzanine and preferred equity investments.  The fund has offices in Davis, CA and Fresno, CA; it is focused on making investments in California's Central Valley and throughout the state.  For more information, please visit www.centralvalleyfund.com.

 

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