Family Ownership
Groennfell Meadery is a 100% privately-owned LLC. In fact, 94% of the ownership is held by the family with the remaining 6% owned by family friends.
Kelly is the majority owner at 51% ownership-stake.
Kelly is the majority owner at 51% ownership-stake.
Why does independent ownership matter?
Family-owned businesses are a substantial part of the US economy, employing 60% of the workforce, creating 78% of new jobs, and generating 64% of the nation's GDP.[1]
Independent businesses also have the freedom to make decisions that may not directly promote the bottom line, but benefit employee well-being, environmental sustainability, and community support.
Equity firms and large corporations obviously have their benefits, but executives and employees working under them are much more likely to report that they feel pressured to make decisions driven solely by profit and, often, against their own moral compass.
Independent businesses also have the freedom to make decisions that may not directly promote the bottom line, but benefit employee well-being, environmental sustainability, and community support.
Equity firms and large corporations obviously have their benefits, but executives and employees working under them are much more likely to report that they feel pressured to make decisions driven solely by profit and, often, against their own moral compass.
What are the disadvantages of this ownership model?
In a word: Money.
Maintaining a family-oriented investor pool limits our access to capital, which in turn can limit growth. That said, it's a trade-off we're willing to make for all of the advantages listed above.
Maintaining a family-oriented investor pool limits our access to capital, which in turn can limit growth. That said, it's a trade-off we're willing to make for all of the advantages listed above.
