GoMacro Reteams With Keep A Breast Foundation
GoMacro, known for its organic, plant-based nutrition bars, is continuing its partnership with the Keep A Breast Foundation for the seventh consecutive year.
KAB is a nonprofit organization on a mission to reduce breast cancer risk and its impact globally. Through self-check resources, prevention education, and arts and wellness programs, KAB strives to empower youth to become their own health advocates, on their own terms, in their own voice and space. Today, they offer a wide variety of programming in support of their mission including the Keep A Breast App, the Give Back Grant Program and Fit4Prevention.
GoMacro’s partnership with the foundation is particularly meaningful due to their founders’ experience with breast cancer. Following co-founder Amelia’s 2003 breast cancer diagnosis, she and her daughter, Jola, made several diet and lifestyle changes to support her healing journey.
During the search for a delicious treat that suited her new needs, Amelia created the original MacroBar recipe in her family kitchen. In the face of adversity, Jola and Amelia came together, fought the cancer, and Amelia won. In the years following, the mother-daughter team began sharing the power of a balanced, plant-based lifestyle through their delicious, organic nutrition bars.
“During my battle with cancer, there weren’t any snacks on the market that suited my new dietary needs and tasted great,” says Amelia. “After making the first batch of what became the MacroBar recipe, we knew it was something we needed to share with the world.”
Along with spreading the power of a plant-based lifestyle, Jola and Amelia wanted to support organizations with shared values – and Keep A Breast was a natural partnership.
“Our 5 Principles – Live Long, Eat Positive, Give Back, Tread Lightly, and Be Well – guide all we do at GoMacro. One of the ways we Give Back is by donating to organizations whose values and missions align with ours,” says GoMacro CEO and co-founder Jola Sonkin. “Breast cancer prevention is a cause that is especially close to our hearts, and we love supporting Keep A Breast’s practical and unique approaches to prevention.”
Partner with GoMacro in supporting the Keep A Breast Foundation by purchasing the Cherries + Berries Give Back Bar online or at a retailer near you throughout October.
The GoMacro facility is powered by 100% renewable energy, and all MacroBars are made with high-quality, sustainably sourced, plant-based ingredients.
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J.M. Smucker to Acquire Hostess for $5.6B
Hostess Brands, Inc., has entered into a definitive agreement with The J.M. Smucker Co. to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Hostess Brands in a cash and stock transaction valued at $34.25 per Hostess Brands share, representing a transaction value of approximately $5.6 billion, including the assumption of debt.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hostess Brands shareholders will receive $30 in cash and 0.03002 shares of The J.M. Smucker Co. common stock (valued at $4.25 as of Sept. 8, 2023) for each share of Hostess Brands common stock. The purchase price represents a premium of approximately 54 percent to the closing price of $22.18 on Aug. 24, the last trading day prior to press reports of a potential transaction.
Andy Callahan, president and chief executive officer of Hostess Brands commented, “I am extremely proud of the entire Hostess Brands team for the legacy they created in building a premier snacking company and driving industry leading returns for our investors. Today represents another exciting chapter for our company as we combine our iconic snacking brands with The J.M. Smucker Co.’s family of beloved brands.
“We believe this is the right partnership to accelerate growth and create meaningful value for consumers, customers and shareholders. Our companies share highly complementary go-to market strategies, and we are very similar in our core business principles and operations. Above all else, Hostess Brands and The J.M. Smucker Co. share a deep commitment to inspiring moments of joy and satisfaction through our products, and we look forward to continuing to do so as part of The J.M. Smucker Co. family.”
“We are excited to announce the acquisition of Hostess Brands, which represents a compelling expansion of our family of brands and a unique opportunity to accelerate our focus on delighting consumers with convenient solutions across different meal and snacking occasions,” said Mark Smucker, chair of the board, president and chief executive officer of The J.M. Smucker Co. “With this acquisition, we are adding an iconic sweet snacking platform; enhancing our ability to deliver brands consumers love and convenient solutions they desire; and leveraging the attributes Hostess offers, including its strong convenience store distribution and leading innovation pipeline, combined with our strong commercial organization and consistent retail execution across channels to drive continued growth.
“Our organization is well positioned to deliver on the great potential our expanded family of brands offers, as has been reflected by our history of growth through acquisition and the successful integration of new categories to our business. We look forward to this exciting new chapter for The J.M. Smucker Co.”
Under the terms of the agreement, The J.M. Smucker Co., through its wholly owned subsidiary SSF Holdings, Inc., will commence an exchange offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Hostess Brands. Stockholders will receive $30 in cash and 0.03002 shares of The J.M. Smucker Co. common stock for each share of Hostess Brands common stock.
The closing of the exchange offer will be subject to certain conditions, including the tender of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Hostess common stock and other customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals. Upon the successful completion of the exchange offer, The J.M. Smucker Co. will acquire all of the remaining shares of Hostess Brands common stock that were not acquired in the exchange offer through a second-step merger for the same consideration per share as paid in the exchange offer.
The cash portion of the transaction is expected to be funded through a combination of cash on hand, a bank term loan and long-term public bonds.
Both The J.M. Smucker Co. and Hostess Brands boards of directors have unanimously approved the transaction. The transaction is anticipated to close in the third quarter of The J.M. Smucker Co.’s current fiscal year ending April 30.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP are serving as financial and legal advisors, respectively, to Hostess Brands.
Hostess Brands, Inc. is a premier snacking company with a portfolio of iconic brands; Hostess Brands makes America’s No. 1 cupcake, mini donut and zero sugar cookie brands. With annual sales of $1.4 billion and approximately 3,000 dedicated team members, Hostess Brands produces new and classic snacks, including Hostess Donettes, Twinkies, CupCakes, Ding Dongs and Zingers, as well as a variety of Voortman cookies and wafers.
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GoMacro Wildlife Conservation Fund Raiser Returns
GoMacro, known for its organic, plant-based nutrition bars, is excited to partner with Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for the fourth year in a row. Born from a family’s passion for Kenya and its wilderness, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was established in 1977 as a pioneering conservation organization dedicated to protecting Africa’s wildlife and preserving habitats for the future of all wild species.
Best known for its Orphans’ Project, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust not only operates the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world, but also embraces all measures that complement the conservation, preservation, and protection of wildlife. Annually, a portion of net proceeds from Smooth Sanctuary MacroBars sold throughout the month of August will be donated to the Kenya-based nonprofit organization.
“Partnering with Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is one more way we live out our company principles to ‘Tread Lightly’ and ‘Give Back,’” said Jola Sonkin, CEO and co-founder of GoMacro. “Their holistic approach to providing both protection to animals and conservation of key habitats is aligned with our mission to have a positive impact on the planet.”
In addition to supporting the nonprofit’s efforts with the annual Give Back Bar, GoMacro has also “adopted” a young elephant named Dololo through the Orphans’ Project. Dololo was rescued by the trust just outside Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park after receiving a report of a calf submerged in a dam overnight with only his trunk raised for breath. Thanks to the nonprofit, and with donations from supporters like GoMacro, the orphaned elephant is receiving the medical care, nourishment, and enrichment he needs to eventually return to a wild herd.
“As a family-founded company, we’re proud to support a family-founded organization leading the effort in protecting the unique wildlife and environment of East Africa. We’re excited to continue our partnership with an organization that has international impact,” Sonkin said.
In addition to the Smooth Sanctuary MacroBar, GoMacro offers three other Give Back Bars —Everlasting Joy, Protein Replenishment, and Sunny Uplift — benefiting nonprofits Feeding San Diego, Solutions for Change, Farm Sanctuary and the Keep A Breast Foundation during dedicated times of each year.
The Double Chocolate + Peanut Butter Chips MacroBar is available for purchase at retailers nationwide, Amazon and gomacro.com.
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