RSF Social Finance Invests in Scandinavian Child

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) San Francisco, CA - October 19,2011 - RSF Mezzanine Management, LLC, is pleased to announce that it has invested in Scandinavian Child (SCI), a manufacturer and distributor of safe, innovatively designed, and environmentally-friendly children’s products. 

In 2002, CEO Brenda Berg established SCI in Raleigh, North Carolina with the mission to improve the lives and well-being of children and families. SCI is centered on the guiding principle of Childhood Without Compromise: all SCI products feature safety-driven designs that meet or exceed both mandatory and voluntary standards for juvenile products, while including features that contribute to the health and well-being of the children and parents who use them.   SCI’s first distributed item was the Svan High Chair, which stands today as its flagship product. SCI has since added products not only from Scandinavia, but also from France and other countries for distribution in the United States and Canada. With their acquisition of the Svan brand earlier this year, SCI is now a global manufacturer and has a platform on which to develop and sell products world-wide.   “RSF has always been concerned about the holistic development of children and primary to a child’s development is a safe environment in which to grow and develop over time,” says Joe Avenatti, Managing Director of RSF Capital Management.   “We were thoroughly impressed with Brenda and her team’s dedication and passion for providing the highest level of safety in their products—without compromising on the aesthetic and functional appeal that is also important to consumers.”   “We are thrilled to be working with RSF,” says Brenda Berg, CEO of SCI. “They clearly share our vision of Childhood Without Compromise and will be an outstanding partner through our growth and expansion over the coming years.”   The RSF Mezzanine Fund, L.P., is the only mezzanine fund designed specifically for companies with high social impact. Investments in this fund allow RSF to provide growth capital without requiring the need for a company to sell equity, resulting in little to no dilution of ownership or loss of control. The RSF Mezzanine Fund is operated by RSF Capital Management, the for-profit subsidiary of RSF Social Finance.     About RSF Social Finance Located in San Francisco, CA, RSF Social Finance (RSF) is a non-profit financial services organization dedicated to transforming the way the world works with money. Since 1984, the organization has made over $230 million in loans and $100 million in grants to non-profit and for-profit social enterprises working in the areas of Food & Agriculture, Education & the Arts, and Ecological Stewardship. To learn more, visit www.rsfsocialfinance.org.   About SCI Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Scandinavian Child (SCI) is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of a broad assortment of innovative, functional and stylish children’s products. SCI currently represents the Svan^TM, líllébaby^TM and Béaba^® brands and offers products in various categories including high chairs, bouncers, child-sized table and chairs, feeding appliances and accessories, baby carriers and diaper bags. Built on the company philosophy, Childhood Without Compromise ^TM, all SCI products meet the company’s criteria of safety, usefulness, eco-friendly design, style and superior quality. To learn more, visit www.scichild.com.   Contact Joe Avenatti, Managing Director, RSF Capital Management joe.avenatti@rsfsocialfinance.org 415.561.6172   Jillian McCoy, Communications Associate jillian.mccoy@rsfsocialfinance.org 415.561.6156   RSF17891