PHOENIX — Café Valley Inc., a Swander Pace Capital portfolio company that manufactures and distributes high-quality baked goods for the in-store bakery and foodservice channels, announced today it has acquired the assets of Freed’s Bakery, a manufacturer of iced mini cupcakes for national and regional retailers. Freed’s Bakery is one of the largest iced mini cupcake manufacturers in North America and provides its customers both every day and seasonal iced mini cupcakes.
“This is truly an exciting time to be in the bakery business. This product range expands our leadership position in bakery, broadens Café Valley’s business platform and strengthens synergies and economies of scale while also helping us continue to deliver high quality products and services. The acquisition is a perfect fit and direct complement to Café Valley’s existing products. Mini iced cupcakes are a core offering in many retailers across the country and drive significant excitement to the in-store bakery category through innovation and multiple seasonal offerings,” said Brian Owens, Chief Executive Officer of Café Valley.
“The Freed’s acquisition is a value-enhancing add-on for the Café Valley investment platform and strengthens our position in our diverse channels, including in-store bakery, convenience and foodservice. We will continue to look for interesting investment opportunities within the bakery category to further establish Café Valley as a value-added partner to our retailers and foodservice customers,” said Café Valley Board Chairman and Swander Pace Capital Managing Director Tyler Matlock.
About Café Valley
Founded in 1986, Café Valley produces high-quality bakery products for in-store bakeries, club stores, foodservice and convenience stores throughout North America. Their products include croissants, muffins, Bundt cakes, ring cakes, turnovers and coffee cake bites. With two state-of-the-art production facilities in Phoenix, Arizona and Marion, Indiana, Café Valley products are available to customers throughout North America. Visit www.cafevalley.com to learn more.
About Swander Pace Capital
Swander Pace Capital (SPC) is a private equity firm that invests in companies integral to consumers’ lives. SPC’s consumer industry expertise informs the firm’s strategic approach and adds value through access to its proven SPC Playbook, senior team, and extensive network. The firm partners with management teams to help build companies to their full potential. SPC invests in businesses across three domains of consumer lifestyles: Food + Beverage, Body + Wellness, and Home + Family. Representative investments include Bragg Live Food Products, Swanson Health Products, Café Valley, Purely Elizabeth, Merrick Pet Care, Kicking Horse Coffee, Patriot Pickle, and Mommy’s Bliss. With offices in California, New Jersey, and Ontario (Canada), SPC has invested in more than 60 companies and raised cumulative equity commitments of approximately $2.2 billion since 1996. For more information, visit www.spcap.com.
