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Would be interested to learn more as well. My general sense is that many MF and/or UMM have deprioritized consumer (or at least the pure CPG/retail side of things) given its been challenging to reliable predict consumer trends, which tend to be fickle at best 

I'm sure the shops like Roark that have a certain specialize have done well but from what I hear, Roark's latest funds haven't been too hot either

 
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The headline here is consumer broadly continues to be challenged since the post COVID years, with MF's (as stated above) de-emphasizing their consumer strategies and MM/UMM funds that play in that space (including those that specialized or even exclusively focused on consumer) pivoting away from the sector. 

The deeper dive nuanced view is that performance (and PE interest) across each sub vertical varies substantially. Some quick hits from my perspective

  • Consumer durables - bad. Would go short of calling it a "blood bath" but seeing a lot of assets that were acquired post COVID (and benefitted from a COVID "bump" with stimulus checks and everyone being home having nothing to do) go belly up or near belly up 
  • Consumer non-durables / CPG - mixed bag. Challenge (from my perspective) here is with such low barriers to entry, ever changing consumer preferences, and marketing spend driving up CAC, it's tough to figure out winners and losers. Still see some major activity with recent investments in Rhone, Vuori, athletic brewing, spin drift, etc. - TBD how those go 
  • Multi-site retail - largely good, with better returns (and activity) on the less discretionary / repeat purchase side of the spectrum (think low cost gyms, QSRs, etc.) than the pricier lux side of things (think vacations, high end entertainment, etc.)
 

Why in the world would you invest in consumer discretionary in this day and age - trends come and go so much faster than before. Feel the only opportunities are highly established, baseline brands like Nike or really diversified brand umbrellas. 

Who would have predicted 10 years ago that Vans was going to become almost totally irrelevant in youth culture by 2025...

 

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