WAYNE, NJ. — Patriot Pickle has acquired First Place Foods, a producer of fresh pickles, fermented pickles, relish and other pickled vegetables. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“The First Place Foods acquisition is a transformative opportunity allowing Patriot Pickle to expand geographically, capitalize on national sales opportunities, and provide our customers with dual source manufacturing,” said Bill McEntee, chief executive officer of Patriot Pickle. “Fresh, refrigerated pickles are a key growth area for our foodservice and institutional partners and we are excited to be able to better serve them more directly with this acquisition.”
The deal marks Patriot Pickle’s second acquisition, following the purchase of Farm Ridge Foods’ pickle business. First Place Foods now joins the Swander Pace Capital (SPC) portfolio that includes Café Valley, Inc., a baked foods manufacturer, Oregon Ice Cream, Kicking Horse Coffee and organic deli meat provider Apple Gate Farms.
“The broader pickled and fermented foods category has enjoyed strong topline growth as consumers continue to gravitate towards healthier snacks, and Patriot Pickle is well positioned to take advantage of this consumer tailwind,” said Corby Reese and Tyler Matlock, managing directors at SPC. “We believe there are additional opportunities to continue building out this exciting growth platform.”