April 19/New York/Business Wire -- Arlon Group, an investment firm focused on food and agriculture, announced that Arlon Food and Agriculture Partners LP, in partnership with management and Edward Billington & Son, has acquired Wholesome Sweeteners. Wholesome Sweeteners is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, and is a supplier of organic and Fair Trade certified sweeteners. Nigel Willerton, CEO of Wholesome Sweeteners, will continue to lead the management team.
Wholesome Sweeteners was founded in 2001 as a joint venture between Imperial Sugar Company and Billington. Arlon led the buyout of Wholesome Sweeteners alongside Billington, Wholesome Sweeteners' management and several other investors. Arlon acquired part of Billington's ownership interest and all of the shares owned by Imperial. Billington's continued involvement, along with the retention and increased ownership stake of Wholesome's management, guarantees continuity of the company's consumer focused philosophy and entrepreneurial culture.