Levain Bakery
Dining · 22+ locations · NYC, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Chicago, Washington DC, Bethesda, Boston, Philadelphia
People think of Levain as the founder-run cookie shop that started it all on the Upper West Side. Growth-equity firm Stripes Group has held majority control since 2018, and outside CEOs now run day-to-day operations while co-founders Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald hold minority stakes.
The Big Picture
Levain's founders sold majority control to growth-equity firm Stripes Group in 2018, and neither Pam Weekes nor Connie McDonald holds a confirmed operational role now. Outside chief executives have run the 22 bakeries since, entry pay starts at NYC's minimum wage, and the company names no suppliers and publishes no environmental figures. The cookies still carry the founders' name, but the business answers to Stripes.
The Dirty Details
Ownership
StripesGrowth Equity
Stripes is a New York growth-equity firm founded in 2008 by Ken Fox, investing in consumer brands and software companies: its portfolio spans OpenAI, A24, Monday.com, and Vuori alongside the food brands Ferret tracks. The firm typically takes minority growth stakes, though it has taken majority control in some cases.
Assets under management: $7B (2025)
See all Stripes companies on FerretWhat do these scores mean? Learn more.
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Company data last updated September 2026
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