Peak Ridge Capital: Peak Ridge AgTech Fund invests in agricultural logistics provider Local Dirt

MADISON, Wisconsin – March 3, 2010 – Peak Ridge Capital announced today that one of its venture capital funds, the Peak Ridge AgTech Fund, has made an investment in Local Dirt. Local Dirt is a privately-held, agricultural logistics company that utilizes a unique software platform to grow and scale local food markets. The AgTech Fund’s investment will allow Local Dirt to achieve several key milestones, among them being the expansion of its operations to San Francisco while maintaining its headquarters in Madison, WI.

Local Dirt is an internet-based company that operates on the principle that consumers would rather purchase agricultural products from local producers. Current distribution channels for produce can be both costly and wasteful, while also lacking freshness and containing additional chemicals. Local Dirt utilizes a software platform that simplifies the purchase and sale of local agricultural products making them available to retailers, restaurants and individual consumers. The Local Dirt website connects buyers and sellers so that the two can exchange services.

“Local Dirt is taking an approach that provides benefits to all parties of the supply chain: growers, distributors and consumers,” said Jason Smith, a member of the Fund’s General Partner. “It provides an invaluable solution to some of the problems faced in today’s global agricultural economy. While the company is national in scope, they maintain their headquarters in Wisconsin, the heart of the Midwest’s agricultural corridor.”

Heather Hilleren, CEO of Local Dirt added, “We are extremely pleased with the level of contacts and relationships within the agricultural industry that Peak Ridge brings to the table for us. Local Dirt is happy to have an equity partner that adds value to our business model in ways that go well-beyond financial support.”

The Peak Ridge AgTech Fund is a private equity fund focusing on financing innovation in agriculture, clean technologies and biofuels. The Fund invests in companies with key agricultural technologies that provide solutions in the areas of increasing food supply, lowering cost of production and improving efficiency in the supply chain. In addition to the agricultural supply-side, the Fund is also investing in clean technologies, as well as systems and improvements in the biofuel markets. Peak Ridge also recently announced the AgTech Fund’s initial investment in Rapid Diagnostek, a company focused on the use of lateral flow technology in food and animal diagnostics. In addition, the firm announced its recent addition to the AgTech Fund’s Advisory Board, Former four-time Governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Service, Tommy Thompson.

About Peak Ridge Capital Group:

Peak Ridge is a leading alternative asset management firm that focuses on providing truly unique investment products to its diverse investor base. Its goal is not driven by simply amassing assets under management, but rather by generating uncorrelated returns while at all times limiting overall risk and market exposure. The firm achieves this goal by bringing together the brightest minds in each specific asset class and trading strategy in an attempt to exceed its investors’ expectations and desired investment objectives.

About Local Dirt:

Local Dirt is an agricultural logistics company that utilizes a unique software platform to grow and scale local food markets for buyers and sellers of all sizes. Local Dirt is tapping into the fastest growing segment of the food industry by providing a highly functional model to connect local food buyers and sellers. For more information about Local Dirt, please visit http://www.LocalDirt.com.

Media contacts:

Laura Small

Peak Ridge Capital

(617) 425-0100

Heather Hilleren

Local Dirt

(608) 395-4990