Founding Partner – Exit Planning, Growth and M&A Advisor

Bart J. DeClark, CEPA®

Bart DeClark co-founded Flavor Infusion, LLC (FI) with his father and established the company’s inaugural state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in San Clemente, CA, focusing on manufacturing flavors and extracts for the food and beverage industry. Bart propelled FI to become a leading beverage flavor house in North America, servicing prestigious clients such as Nestlé.

In 2007, Bart spearheaded rapid expansion efforts in Central American and Caricom markets while expanding the company’s portfolio of offerings, necessitating capacity expansion. This led Bart to form Flavor Infusion International, S.A. in the Republic of Panama in 2010 and complete a company-wide rebrand to “FISA.” In 2012, FISA opened a new high-tech manufacturing operation in the Panama Pacifico Free Trade Zone adjacent to the Panama Canal.

In 2014, FISA achieved unprecedented sales and profit growth, attracting unsolicited interest from strategic acquirers. Recognizing an opportunity during a strong M&A market in 2015, Bart orchestrated splitting the operations, ran a controlled auction, and sold Flavor Infusion, LLC (North American operations) to Symrise, a multi-billion dollar German public company, exceeding a 4X revenue multiple.

Retaining the international business, Bart continued to nurture FISA’s growth, expanding its footprint and clientele. In 2019, FISA opened another production facility in Colombia to further service the Andean region. Amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, FISA flourished organically and solidified its position as a premier flavor and specialty ingredient supplier in the LATAM/Caricom region. Bart once again navigated FISA to another 4X revenue divestiture to Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in December of 2021. Combined, both transactions exceeded $100M in enterprise value.

Since exiting, Bart has balanced his time between family, real estate, and advisory work. He currently serves as Chapter Chair for the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Orange County Chapter, is an Advisory Board Member and Partner in Revelry Group, a multi-faceted foodservice business, and is an Operating Advisor at Natureza Growth Partners growth equity firm.

Today, Bart’s focus is leveraging his extensive experience and network to empower later-stage, founder-led businesses to enhance value and optimize potential exits. Bart offers comprehensive advisory services to help guide his clients through the complexity, stress and emotion of preparing a business for divestiture. From the start of a deal process to transaction close, Bart can assist in realizing maximum value at every stage.

Advisors

Jonathan Cronstedt

Jonathan Cronstedt, also known as JCRON, is an investor, advisor and USA Today best-selling author. JCRON is a Board Director at Kajabi, a creator commerce platform. He was president of Kajabi from 2016 to 2021 and was instrumental in accelerating rapid growth and eventually garnering a $2B valuation on a $550M raise led by Tiger Global Management. Prior to Kajabi, JCRON held executive leadership positions in SaaS, mortgage finance, digital publishing, and direct sales. Jonathan has also served as the CEO of Digital Marketer and is currently a Managing Partner with APEX Equity.

Business Coaches

COMING SOON