Grillo’s Sells to King’s Hawaiian

Breakout Boston-based pickle brand Grillo’s Pickles has been sold to bakery company King’s Hawaiian in a deal that closed earlier this year. While exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, the Boston Business Journal reported that the company will remain in Boston, albeit with changes to the leadership team: CEO and founder Travis Grillo has left the company.

The Massachusetts-based company had been in the market for an acquirer since last year. Grillo’s previously raised $4.6 million in 2018 and, according to SEC filings, an additional $2 million in March of 2020. Investors in the pickle brand included Breakaway Capital, Centerman Capital and Food Retail Ventures.

Founded in the 1950’s in Hawaii, King’s Hawaiian has remained a family-owned and operated business. The company now largely produces its sweet rolls and breads in Torrance, California and Oakwood Georgia.

Grillo’s was founded over a decade ago by Travis Grillo, who used a family recipe to develop his first product. What began as a pickle cart in Boston Common has since grown to a national packaged food brand, with presence in retailers including Whole Foods, Target, Costco, Publix, Kroger, Safeway, Amazon and an array of other mass and natural grocers. The product mix has also expanded to include hot pickles, spears and chips, cold-pressed pickle vinegar drinks and a pickle de gallo dip.

The company was one of the first national brands offering a cold-chain fermented product, but since then, the fermented food section of stores has expanded to include other national brands offering sauerkraut, kimchi and more. Grillo’s has remained trendy within the category with it’s irrelevant sense of humor, launching everything from clothing collaborations with Urban Outfitters to pickle-infused beer to co-branded Rugrats pickle packaging.

However, with Grillo’s departure, the driving force behind many of these collaborations is no longer with the company. Attempts to reach Grillo were unsuccessful, with his email account at the brand no longer operational. In the wake of his departure, Adam Kaufman (COO at Grillos since 2018 and operating partner at Centerman Capital) assumed the role of President earlier this month.

King’s Hawaiian did not respond to a request for comment and Grillo’s was unable to respond to press inquiries at this time.