Manna Tree Acquires Majority Stake in Zambezi Creative Agency
Manna Tree, a private equity firm focused on health and wellness brands, has made a majority investment in Zambezi, an award-winning creative agency known for building billion-dollar consumer brands. The undisclosed deal expands Manna Tree's capabilities by adding brand-building services such as integrated marketing, strategic storytelling, media production, and sports partnerships to its portfolio companies' support ecosystem. Zambezi has previously helped Liquid I.V. become a billion-dollar brand and works with major clients like the NFL, TaylorMade, and ESPN. The agency will continue operating independently from Los Angeles under CEO Jean Freeman and President Laura Stayt while collaborating more closely with Manna Tree's investment teams to identify growth opportunities. The partnership aims to strengthen how portfolio companies engage consumers through culturally relevant campaigns rather than traditional advertising alone, positioning the firm at a growing intersection of wellness, sports, and culture.
Topics: brand building creative agency health and wellness private equity