26North Partners LP and The Middleby Corporation announced that affiliates of 26North have completed the acquisition of a controlling interest in Middleby’s Residential Kitchen business, with Middleby retaining a significant non-controlling ownership stake through a joint venture structure.
Following the closing, the business has been rebranded as Composition Brands and will operate as an independent platform focused on premium and ultra-luxury residential kitchen and outdoor living brands.
The newly named Composition Brands will house a portfolio that includes Viking, AGA, Rangemaster, La Cornue, Lynx, and U Line. The companies said the new identity is intended to unify the portfolio around craftsmanship, design, and performance while maintaining each brand’s distinct heritage.
26North said it has been working with Middleby and the Composition Brands leadership team since signing to manage an extensive transition and planning process aimed at continuity for employees, partners, and customers, while also establishing operating foundations for the company’s next stage of growth. The business will continue serving channel partners across the residential ecosystem, including dealers, designers, architects, and homeowners, with an emphasis on design leadership, service, and quality.
26North described itself as an integrated, multi-asset-class investment platform founded by Josh Harris, with strategies spanning private equity, credit, insurance, and reinsurance. The firm said it has grown assets under management to more than $32 billion since launching in 2022. Middleby, meanwhile, remains a global supplier to the foodservice industry, with its Residential Kitchen business now operating under the Composition Brands banner.
KEY QUOTES
“Alongside the management team and Middleby, we’ve started the work needed to ensure Composition reaches its full potential as a standalone company.”
“Our focus is straightforward: support these market-leading brands with the resources, operating rigor and long-term perspective to strengthen performance and customer experience over time.”
Mark Weinberg, Partner and Head of Private Equity, 26North
“Operating as an agile, independent company sets a higher standard for excellence.”
“We can move faster to strengthen product performance, accelerate innovation and build shared capabilities that elevate every brand in the portfolio. That clarity of purpose will help us shape the next generation of luxury residential kitchens and outdoor living.”
Brody Connolly, Chief Executive Officer, Composition Brands
