Mergers & Acquisitions

Spice giant McCormick & Company announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with Unilever’s food business, excluding India, in a transaction that values the unit at nearly $45 billion.

Global food giant Smithfield Foods announced today that it has agreed to acquire hot dog brand Nathan’s Famous in an all-cash transaction valued at $450 million.

Hershey is acquiring organic popcorn and healthy snack brand LesserEvil for reportedly $750 million, adding to the Pennsylvania food maker’s growing portfolio of salty snacks.

The CPG Week team discusses the launch of a new soda line from sparkling water maker Spindrift just a month after its sale to a private equity group. Then, the group digs into the details of Celsius Holdings’ $1.8 billion acquisition of competitor Alani Nu and examines how the deal could impact distribution in the energy drink category as well as what the sale spells for prior owner (and PRIME maker) Congo Brands.

Flowers Foods’ management team sees significant growth potential for Simple Mills following its $795 million acquisition, as executives outlined plans to broaden the snack and baking mix brand’s distribution, accelerate new product development and amplify brand awareness during a conference call today. The new parent company plans to handle the business with a “fairly light touch, particularly in the early days” to preserve its entrepreneurial spirit.”

Snack brands Pipcorn and Spudsy have joined together under a newly formed entity, UpSnack Brands, to leverage their combined scale and accelerate a pathway to profitable growth.

Rethink Food, a New York City-based nonprofit that partners with local restaurants and donors across the food system, announced today it has acquired nonprofit food box service Wellfare to advance its mission of creating a more sustainable and equitable food system.

Wedderspoon was acquired earlier this month and placed under Florenz, a new company that will house natural products brands hailing from down under. But who is behind it?

Wicked Kitchen is on a mission to do for plant-based foods what Annie’s did for organics. Here’s how its new owners plan to help.

Newly launched CPG Private Equity firm Forward Consumer Partners has made its first acquisition, taking a majority stake in Virginia based artisanal cracker maker and baking company Firehook Bakery.