Solo Brands, with its hallmark commitment to consumer passion and community engagement, is adding IcyBreeze Cooling to its outdoor lifestyle product portfolio. The deal was finalized on July 1, as announced by Generational Equity, a Richardson-based mergers and acquisitions adviser for privately held businesses.

In a statement, Generational Equity’s Michael Goss said the deal is the realization of a “vision and plan” set out alongside Sweetwater-based IcyBreeze President John Brinkman in August 2022. 

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Goss, the firm’s executive managing director of M&As in the central region, described the alliance as a “perfect pairing of Fire (Solo Stove) and Ice (IcyBreeze), two of the most in-demand consumer products in the outdoor enthusiast space ever.”

Generational Equity said IcyBreeze is the “world’s first and only true portable air-conditioning product, and the coldest blowing portable A/C unit that can be plugged into a wall, 12V car adapter, or run on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, without the need for exhaust venting or condensation drain lines.”

It also serves as a portable cooler, the firm said.

IcyBreeze, based in Sweetwater, Texas, has carved a niche in manufacturing and direct-to-consumer distribution of personal air-conditioning and heat relief solutions. The pioneering firm said its products combine a portable AC’s efficiency with an insulated cooler’s convenience.

IcyBreeze’s V2 Pro [Photo: Icybreeze]

Globally recognized, IcyBreeze counts among its clientele influential entities such as the US Armed Forces, Walt Disney World Resort, and Disneyland. Renowned events and celebrities, from the likes of the U.S. Open and Tokyo 2020 Olympics to celebrated bands like AC/DC and Def Leppard, have also adopted its cooling solutions.

Solo Brands, the acquiring company, develops and produces lifestyle products that can evoke emotional connections with consumers. Its diverse brand portfolio includes Solo Stove, known for its firepits and stoves; Chubbies, an apparel brand; Oru Kayak, credited with innovating folding kayaks; and ISLE, popular for its range of paddle boards.

A hallmark of Solo Brands is its multifaceted distribution model that weaves together e-commerce, strategic wholesale collaborations, and physical storefronts.

Goss, with the support of Vice President, M&A, Lance Thomasson, successfully worked to close the transaction. Senior Managing Director Doug Morrow established the original relationship with IcyBreeze.

“We are so excited to see IcyBreeze welcomed into the amazing and growing Solo Brands family and expect that this united force will continue to dominate U.S. and international markets into the future as they continue to expand and innovate their combined product portfolios,” Goss said.

[Images: Solo Brands]

Solo Brands was created in 2021 when Solo Stove—designers of easy-to-use fire pits and camp stoves—acquired Chubbies Shorts, Oru Kayak, and ISLE. The new “house of brands” joins forces to focus on adventurous lifestyle products. 

“Each of these brands is amazing in its own individual way – but together we’ll be able to collectively offer a better customer journey – while doing more for the communities that built us,” the company said at the time.

The story was updated on August 13, 2023, to reflect that John Brinkman is president of Sweetwater-based IcyBreeze, which was acquired by Grapevine-based Solo Brands in a deal closed by Generation Equity. Brinkman was part of the ownership of IcyBreeze, which was not part of Solo Brands prior to the transaction. 

Quincy Preston contributed to this report.

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