Minneapolis entrepreneur Laura Roos has sold her gifting company Minny & Paul to Teak & Twine, another woman-owned e-commerce business with a similar focus on corporate gifts and a national reach.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Customers might not even notice the change, since Teak & Twine owner Torrance Hart said she plans to keep the Minny & Paul name and website, along with its emphasis on Minnesota-made goods. But operations and distribution will move to Teak & Twine headquarters in Virginia.

Last year, Roos and a partner launched another business, the microdosing cannabis brand Mary & Jane, and Roos said it is growing fast enough to require her full attention.

“I feel extremely grateful to leave Minny & Paul in the best hands,” Roos said. “I am so excited to see where Torrance and her team take Minny & Paul.”

The two e-commerce companies came up at the same time—Teak & Twine launched in 2015; Minny & Paul a year later—both offering curated gift boxes with an emphasis on products made by small businesses. Teak & Twine took a national focus; Minny & Paul specialized in Minnesota-made brands, eventually broadening its assortment to include indie brands from other states.

“I don’t think what Minny & Paul did could work in all 50 states,” Hart said. “The number of beautiful, thoughtful, gorgeously packaged products in Minnesota is amazing.” This is Teak & Twine’s first acquisition and it allows the company, which sells primarily to the coasts, to expand its reach in the Midwest.

“Culture wise, this is a seamless and fun fit for us,” Hart said. “We work with similar clients who are looking for gifting to be done with extra care and support small businesses in the process.”

About 80% of Minny & Paul’s business is corporate clients, buying custom boxes for employees, clients, and events. That’s Teak & Twine’s mainstay as well.

The two founders met in 2019 in a Facebook group called “Gift Box Babes” and stayed in touch. Roos reached out to Hart about working together, or possibly taking over.

“What made this deal such an easy process was our deep understanding of each other’s businesses,” Roos said. “We are very similar, Torrance and I, in life but also very much so in our approach to business. It felt right from day one.”

The two companies started at a time when direct to consumer subscription boxes were trending. Many have since fallen by the wayside. But Hart said demand continues to increase from companies seeking customized gifts that go beyond the expected.

Ten years ago, Hart said, the fact that Minny & Paul and Teak & Twine sources products from small businesses, also emphasizing women and BIPOC-owned brands, was merely a bonus. “Today corporate clients actually have more of an appreciation for supporting local and small—it’s one of the top things they’re looking for.”