5W Public Relations acquires US boutique food and beverage communications firm YC Media
5WPR, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the US, has announced that it has acquired YC Media, the boutique food and beverage communications firm whose clients include Sea Tales, Ippodo, and Flatiron Books.
With the addition of YC Media, 5W adds the boutique firm's exemplary services, clients, and senior talent to its existing roster of consumer brands that include Boston Beer Co, Galanz, Lenox, The Pioneer Woman, Product of the Year, SMEG, Stemilt, Tineco, and Thermopro.
For YC Media, clients will continue to receive hands-on strategic consultation from founder Kim Yorio while gaining access to 5W's industry-leading service offerings and client network, including its full-service digital capabilities through the firm's recently launched agency, The HOW Agency.
Yorio will join 5W as Senior Vice President, bringing more than thirty years of experience working with the biggest names in the food world, including Jamie Oliver and Ferran Adria, as well as esteemed brands such as Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, Balducci's Gourmet Market, Calphalon, Sur La Table, Spindrift, Mike's Hard Lemonade and Sagatiba Cachaca.
Dara A. Busch, co-CEO, 5W: "5WPR has built our agency around the belief that being a large agency doesn't mean you need to act like a large agency. From our first meeting with Kim and YC Media, it was clear that her firm's boutique approach to client services, coupled with their strategic expertise that is on par with leading global agencies, mirrors our own. We're thrilled to welcome Kim and YC Media to 5W, and to continue to provide groundbreaking communications programming in the consumer space."
Ronn Torossian, Founder and Chairman 5W: "As we continue to grow and evolve, in our third decade of business, we are committed to investing in the tools, talent, and technology that will further solidify our place as the communications agency for companies that are both built for now and are anticipating the future. The addition of YC Media to our already stellar Consumer Division is an exciting step in bringing that vision to life, and we remain open to future acquisition opportunities that will allow us to continue to raise the bar on what a PR and digital agency can provide for clients."
Kim Yorio, founder and CEO, YC Media: "I'm thrilled to be joining the 5W family. Tapping into the global resources and deep industry expertise that 5W offers will enable our team to expand our portfolio and work with more of the best and brightest brands in the food and beverage industry."
The acquisition of YC Media is the latest in a series of strategic expansions from 5W as the agency continues to position itself for growth, having opened a Miami office in 2021 and relaunching its digital practice as a stand-alone firm, The HOW Agency, earlier in 2023. The agency plans on acquiring additional boutique firms in the rest of 2023 and into 2024.
