Ventura Foods recently entered into a deal with Brynwood Partners’ newly formed portfolio company West Madison Foods. West Madison Foods has formed a definitive agreement to acquire the Marie’s salad dressing brand and the Dean’s Dip business from Ventura Foods.
“Dean’s and Marie’s are extraordinary brands, and we are delighted to lead these brands into their next phase of growth and expansion,” noted Henk Harton III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Brynwood Partners. “We look forward to partnering with the team in Thornton to enhance manufacturing and bring more products and new innovations to market. We thank the Ventura Foods team for being a great partner in the transaction.”
Brynwood established West Madison Foods to acquire the Marie’s brand and Dean’s Dip assets from Ventura Foods, a release explained. The transaction will include the Thornton, Illinois, factory where the products are manufactured. Terms have not been disclosed.
The portfolio company will be headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and the Thornton manufacturing facility and its 84 full-time employees will continue to support the business. Additionally, a small group of associates dedicated to the Marie’s and Dean’s brands may also transition to the company.
Marie’s specializes in the production and distribution of premium salad dressings, dips, and spreads. It has established itself as a trusted brand among consumers with its Blue Cheese, Caesar, Ranch, and Coleslaw salad dressings as top sellers.
Dean’s Dip is a trusted provider of gourmet dips and spreads. It has established itself as a leading dairy dip player, catering to the diverse snacking and entertaining needs of consumers nationwide. The brand is recognized for its French Onion, Ranch, and Guacamole dips.
“The acquisition of West Madison Foods represents another corporate carveout for Brynwood, an area where we have developed a specific investment expertise. We have completed three carveouts in the last seven months, starting with Birch Benders in December 2022, followed by Uno Foods in March 2023, and now the Dean’s Dip and Marie’s businesses,” added Harton III.
Click here for more information about the acquisition and the brands.
Deli Market News will keep a lookout for more specialty updates.
