Premium Candied Pecan Brand Closes Strategic Round, Now in 3,000+ Doors

FORTUNE FAVORS

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2026

Media Contact:

Sam McDaniel, CEO
Fortune Favors

Fortune Favors Completes Investment Round, Welcomes Gordon River Partners to Accelerate National Growth

Premium candied pecan brand secures strategic capital to fuel retail expansion, innovative demo programming, and production automation

MADISON, WIS. — Fortune Favors, maker of “Nuts, Enchanted” premium candied pecans, today announced the closing of its investment round, welcoming Gordon River Partners, LLC (“GRP”) as a strategic investor. The capital and added expertise will be deployed to accelerate sales velocity across all channels, launch a best-in-class in-store demo program, advance production automation, and expand the Fortune Favors team.

The investment comes during a period of significant momentum for the chef-crafted brand, which is now available in more than 3,000 retail locations nationwide, including Publix, Whole Foods Market, and H-E-B. Nielsen ranks Fortune Favors as the 6th fastest-growing brand in the entire $4 billion nuts category in the U.S. over the past year. The management team was named Wisconsin Small Business Persons of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gordon River Partners to the Fortune Favors team. We’ve spent eight years building a brand that people genuinely love — a product with a 97% first-taste recall rate, a manufacturing operation we own and control, and a retail footprint that now spans more than 3,000 doors. Gordon River doesn’t just bring capital — they bring deep expertise in the food and CPG space, and a shared belief that Fortune Favors is just scratching the surface of what’s possible,” said Sam McDaniel, CEO of Fortune Favors.

Founded by Jess Benish and Chef Eric Rupert — a culinary veteran with more than 40 years of experience — Fortune Favors produces its pecans using a proprietary cooking process that yields a candied pecan with a fraction of the sugar found in conventional alternatives. Made with just four clean ingredients — pecans, cane sugar, canola oil, and kosher salt — the product has built a loyal national following, with 47% of customers purchasing based on a personal recommendation.

“What gets me up every morning is knowing how many people will experience that moment of genuine delight when they taste and share our pecans. I’ve spent 45 years as a baker, pastry chef, and cook working toward this moment. We’ve been building Fortune Favors for eight years now, but I truly feel like we’re just getting started,” said Chef Eric Rupert, Founder of Fortune Favors.

“The Fortune Favors team has built a remarkable foundation — great people, a proprietary manufacturing process, and outstanding products. We look forward to supporting the team and Fortune Favors’ continued, exciting growth,” said Mike Swiatkowski, Partner, Food & Beverage Investments at GRP.

Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, GRP is a family office private investment platform providing investment capital and operational resources to lower-middle market companies. Mike Swiatkowski and John Mayer lead the food and beverage investment division.

Learn more at gordonriverpartners.com.

Fortune Favors products are available at select retailers nationwide and at fortunefavorsnuts.com.

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About Fortune Favors

Fortune Favors is a premium candied pecan company based in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded by Jess Benish and Chef Eric Rupert, the brand’s proprietary cooking process creates a clean-label, chef-crafted snacking pecan unlike anything else in the category. With an SQF-certified production facility, a growing national retail footprint, and a product that 97% of first-time tasters remember, Fortune Favors is redefining what a candied pecan can be.

Learn more at fortunefavorsnuts.com.