Love Your Melon, a Minneapolis-based multimillion dollar hat company that donates half its profits to fight against pediatric cancer, has been purchased by New York-based Win Brands Group.
The purchase was made after Win Brands Group, an e-commerce holding company that buys and builds “category-defining brands,” raised $40 million with the help of private investment firm Orangewood Partner, according to a Monday news release. The funding will also support the growth of Win’s omnichannel platform and portfolio of brands.
Win Brands Group did not disclose the amount paid for Love Your Melon.
Since its founding in 2012, Love Your Melon has donated more than $9.4 million to the fight against pediatric cancer and given over 235,000 beanies to children battling cancer and their families.
The brand offers signature “pom-and-patch style” knit beanies, along with new categories such as apparel, home goods, and face masks. It has also licensed with partners including Disney, Marvel, and most recently, a Harry Potter collection that sold out in one hour.
Co-CEOs Zachary Quinn and Brian Keller were sophomores in college at the University of St. Thomas when they founded Love Your Melon in 2012. They plan to stay on under the new ownership.
“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished at Love Your Melon in the last nine years, most importantly of the millions of dollars our team has raised to fight against pediatric cancer,” said Quinn. “As part of Win, Love Your Melon is equipped with the tools we need to grow faster by accessing new markets, diversifying product offerings, and expanding its retail footprint. We believe we have found the best partner to lead this brand and its mission into the next chapter.”
Win Brands Group uses a two-pillar business model: “identifying brilliant, category-defining brands, and developing a world-class infrastructure to drive their growth across channels,” Kyle Widrick, CEO and co-founder of Win, said in a Tuesday announcement of the acquisition.
“Love Your Melon is a terrific addition to our portfolio and is emblematic of what we look for in the businesses we acquire: a category-defining brand in a key vertical, with passionate founders and a clear path for growth,” Widrick said. “Moreover, the support from Orangewood Partners enables us to advance our mission and create an even stronger platform that will supercharge the growth of our brands.”

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