Cedar Ridge Holding Company

Cedar Ridge Holding Company

Cedar Ridge Holding Company was established in 2020 by Blake Hermel to manage capital originating from the Hermel family's fourth-generation foodservice distribution business, A.H. Hermel Company, founded in 1935. David Hermel serves as co-managing partner and president. The structure channels patient family capital into companies that can sustain multi-generational ownership. Cedar Ridge targets buyout opportunities in industrial, manufacturing, agriculture and consumer sectors. It deploys direct co-investments and SPVs rather than fund commitments. Confirmed activity centers on North America. The firm states it invests in people, equipment and processes without a fixed exit timeline. It has executed dozens of transactions over the past decade through its principals' prior roles at Spell Capital Partners and Lazard Middle Market. The firm maintains headquarters in Mankato, Minnesota, and lists no additional offices. Blake Hermel also serves on the board of Pioneer Bank. Cedar Ridge participates in the Small Business Investor Alliance Independent Sponsor Forum and maintains membership in Greater Mankato Growth. No recent operational events from the last 24 months appear in available records. Cedar Ridge operates with a hybrid mandate that combines family-office capital permanence and private-equity execution capabilities. This structure allows it to retain local operating businesses rather than consolidate them into larger platforms or flip them on a 3-5 year schedule.