Aidy Bryant, Kristen Stewart and Beck Bennett in the Saturday Night Live sketch referencing Farrow & Ball The plug was not a case of paid-for product placement, but it led to a big spike in interest. But despite the growth in sales, FB Ammonite still posted a pre-tax loss of £26.9m – which it said reflects how the business is structured and financed rather than being illustrative of performance . The company has been owned since 2014 by a Los Angeles-based private equity fund. The Private Equity Group of Ares Management bought it from another investment fund, European Capital Limited. Now Ares Management is in turn selling it to a buyer who is confident in the Dorset company’s potential for growth.