Gourmet News

Back to Nature Brand Sold to Barilla Group

Published January 4, 2023

B&G Foods, Inc. has completed the sale of the Back to Nature brand to BA Brussels, LLC, a subsidiary of Barilla America, Inc.

B&G Foods intends to use the proceeds from the sale for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of long-term debt and the purchase of assets useful in B&G Foods’ business, and to pay taxes, fees and expenses related to the sale.

Back to Nature features a portfolio of plant-based, non-GMO products that compete in the United States cookies, crackers, granola and nuts & trail mix categories. Founded in 1960, the brand is mainly distributed in the U.S. natural and specialty channels and is committed to providing people with good food made with nature-inspired recipes.

Barilla, a fourth-generation family-owned company founded in 1877 is an international food company, leading in pasta and bakery products, and present in more than 100 countries. It has a strong bond with the United States, where it has operated since 1996, and is currently the #1 pasta brand. The acquisition of Back to Nature is consistent with Barilla’s long-term strategy to build a strong multi-brand bakery platform in the United States, where the Group is already market leader in the crispbread category with the Wasa brand.

Barilla is a leader in the European bakery products sector and has expertise in, and a reputation for, healthy, good-for-you snacking products. The acquisition of Back to Nature provides Barilla with a strong platform from which to build and grow in the dynamic North American bakery marketplace.

“At Barilla, we aspire to build a long-term and significant presence in the U.S. baking industry and this operation reminds me of when we first started our journey with pasta over 25 years ago and we are now the market leader. The acquisition of Back to Nature is a key step for this exciting journey”, said Guido Barilla, chairman of the Barilla Group. “We focus all our business activities and products on health and indulgence and hence Back to Nature was a natural choice. We are excited to see how our efforts will evolve in the future”.

Barilla confirms its commitment to ensure people have access to good, sustainable food with consistent improvements in its nutritional profile. The Italian based family company, founded 145 years ago, brings together 8,700 people around the world, and a supply chain that shares its values and passion for quality.

Barilla is a family business chaired by the brothers Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. It was founded by their great-grandfather Pietro Barilla, who opened a bakery in Parma in 1877. Barilla is renowned in Italy and around the world for the excellence of its food products. With its brands – Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Pan di Stelle, Gran Cereale, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina and Vesta, Misko, Voiello, Academia Barilla, First, Catelli, Lancia, Splendor, Tolerant and Pasta Evangelists – it advocates tasty, hearty and wholesome nutrition, inspired by the Mediterranean Diet and the Italian lifestyle.

Based in Parsippany, N.J., B&G Foods and its subsidiaries manufacture, sell and distribute high-quality, branded shelf-stable and frozen foods across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. B&G Foods’ portfolio of more than 50 brands includes B&G, B&M, Bear Creek, Cream of Wheat, Crisco, Dash, Green Giant, Las Palmas, Le Sueur, Mama Mary’s, Maple Grove Farms, New York Style, Ortega, Polaner, Spice Islands and Victoria.

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SEG Community Impact Includes $6.75M in Donations

Published December 29, 2022

Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is reflecting on a WINNing year of community impact, growth and remarkable service as 2022 comes to a close. Throughout its ongoing transformational journey, SEG has remained steadfast in prioritizing its local communities both inside and outside of its stores. In 2022, the grocer provided value to its customers to help minimize the impact of inflationary pressures and donated $6.75 million to support organizations that share its passion for serving neighbors in need.

To support its communities throughout the year, SEG, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, donated more than $700,000 and 14 million pounds of food to help alleviate hunger, as well as $2.55 million to support crucial emergency assistance, disaster preparedness and relief programs both locally and in support of the citizens of Ukraine. The grocer also donated more than $1.25 million to Folds of Honor, providing more than 250 educational scholarships to the children and spouses of fallen and disabled military service members; provided 30 nonprofits with funds totaling $300,000 through the grocer’s Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Program; and donated an additional nearly $2 million in support of various military, health and local community initiatives.

Raymond Rhee, chief people officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “As we reflect on this past year, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for our incredible associates and customers in the many, unique Southeastern communities we serve. It’s been an exceptional year of growth and development, and I am humbled yet again to have witnessed the immense resiliency of our people and our communities. As we look forward to 2023, we look forward to serving, supporting and elevating our communities together; forward to witnessing the wonderful ways our people will collaborate once again; and forward to continuing along our path of growth in our commitment to provide value and convenience to our customers.”

With customers’ time and budget as its focal point, SEG continued its commitment to offer deeper discounts on regularly purchased items to help customers stretch their wallets while shopping in stores, and now online with the introduction of the grocer’s new delivery service in more than 375 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations. SEG’s online shopping platform offers customers the same promotions, savings and prices found in stores with the convenience of delivery in as little as two hours.

SEG continued to focus on its transformational journey in 2022 by renewing and growing its fleet of stores and has completed renewals for more than 80 percent of its existing stores. This past year, the grocer unveiled 51 remodeled stores and introduced 17 brand-new liquor stores and two brand-new Winn-Dixie locations in its home state of Florida. In March, SEG opened its Winn-Dixie store in Florida’s newest city, Westlake, located in Western Palm Beach County, and earlier this month, unveiled its first ground-up Winn-Dixie store built in more than a decade to the rapidly growing Grand Cypress neighborhood in St. Johns County.

In 2022, SEG and its charitable arm, the SEG Gives Foundation, expanded its giving focus to support more causes committed to elevating belonging, inclusion, and diversity, allowing the grocer to make a larger impact within its communities while empowering authenticity, educating the broader society and eliminating long-standing barriers. The grocer and its foundation also reacted quickly to support the local community when Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida by dispatching mobile pharmacies, opening its Pine Island Winn-Dixie store to the local community for free groceries and providing recovery essentials to more than 2,000 impacted families. Throughout the year, SEG also supported the USO, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, local schools, children’s hospitals and many more. SEG’s wholehearted commitment to its people and communities was recognized this year by Store Brands, naming SEG its Retailer of the Year and presenting the grocer with an Impact Award for community service and local impact.

The grocer’s commitment to serving its customers extended to its own brand products, and its dedication to excellence and quality in their development. In 2022, SEG earned nearly 100 awards for own brand products, including receiving high honors from Private Label Manufacturers Association Salute to Excellence awards, Store Brands Editors’ Picks, the World Dairy Expo Championship for its SE Grocers brand dairy products and USA Wine Ratings, USA Beer Ratings and USA Spirits Ratings for its private label and market exclusive offerings.

SEG’s people-first culture and advocacy of belonging, inclusion and diversity in the workplace earned recognition from top outlets this year, including: Fortune’s 2022 Best Workplaces in Retail list which recognizes the top 20 companies for high levels of trust, respect, credibility, fairness, pride and camaraderie among employees; Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Loved Workplaces ranking No. 26 of the top 100 companies recognized for employee happiness and satisfaction at work, a climb from its 2021 rank of No. 48; featured as the top supermarket in the retail space in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies, ranking third among 32 businesses in the retail category and one of only 400 U.S. companies recognized for customer and employee trust; The Silicon Review® as one of the 30 Fabulous Companies of the Year and certification as a Great Place to Work for three consecutive years. SEG also garnered awards from trade publications Progressive Grocer and Store Brands for its commitment to workforce development and employee support.

In 2023, SEG will continue its commitment to being the most preferred grocer in the neighborhood though unwavering support of its associates, customers and neighbors in need and by continuing its dedication to provide customers value on high-quality products and added convenience, including an expansion of its online shopping and delivery option to Fresco y Más customers and a rollout of convenient curbside pickup beginning early 2023.

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US Foods Donates Nearly $13M Toward Hunger Relief

Published December 28, 2022

US Foods Holding Corp., one of America’s largest foodservice distributors, has donated nearly $13 million in food and supplies, the equivalent of approximately 6 million meals or more than 265 truckloads of product, through its 2022 annual corporate hunger relief campaigns. Since 2007, the company has donated more than 165 million pounds of food and supplies to aid community hunger-relief efforts.

“As a national foodservice distributor, US Foods is uniquely positioned to make a meaningful difference in hunger-relief efforts across the country by donating our time and resources,” said David Works, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, US Foods. “We are humbled and grateful to give back to the communities where we live and work by harnessing the power of food to empower people in need with nourishment and opportunity, and thankful for the dedication of our outstanding associates who have participated in our annual hunger-relief campaigns.”

The company organized a variety of associate giving and volunteer campaigns throughout 2022 to support community hunger-relief efforts. Activities included a week-long “Spring into Service” campaign in which associates participated in various company-sponsored community service events, a Hunger Action Month campaign, and a month-long holiday “Giving Gratitude” campaign, dedicated to supporting communities struggling with food insecurity. As a result of these activities, more than 400,000² meals were donated.

US Foods is committed to fighting hunger across the communities it serves by providing both financial contributions and product donations throughout the year to its longtime partner, Feeding America and its network of 200 food banks, as well as other hunger-relief nonprofits across the country.

“Feeding America is grateful for US Foods’ generosity,” said Lauren Biedron, vice president, corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “From financial donations to food and support from employees, they are helping to make a difference for many communities across the country.”

Additionally, US Foods donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support Hurricane Ian disaster-relief efforts in Florida and the surrounding areas. The company and its associates also provided food, supplies and logistics support to meal-packing events designed to help restaurant workers, first responders and communities impacted by natural disasters.

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