Gryphon Investors (“Gryphon”), a San Francisco-based private equity firm, and The Original Cakerie (the “company”) announced that Gryphon is making a majority investment in the company, a leading manufacturer of high-quality frozen desserts for retail and foodservice customers across North America. Terms of the recapitalization were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in early December.
The Original Cakerie, founded in 1979 and privately held, is based in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, with a second production facility in London, Ontario. The company serves over 300 customers in the United States and Canada. President and CEO Dave Hood will continue to lead the company following the acquisition.
“Consumers value affordable indulgence across economic cycles, and they are increasingly searching for quality products and clean-label ingredients when they choose to indulge,” said Keith Stimson, Partner and Head of Gryphon’s Consumer Group.“We have had a proactive focus on establishing a platform in the high-quality premium baked goods space, in order to benefit from these consumer trends, as the in-store bakery sections of supermarkets as well as foodservice customers continue to look for high-quality dessert offerings.”
Dennis O’Brien, Partner and Head of Gryphon’s Operations Resources Group, said, “Gryphon has a long-standing track record of success investing in the food and beverage space, and assisting founder-owned businesses like The Original Cakerie in further developing their category leadership. The Original Cakerie is a uniquely attractive platform for expansion in the North American baked goods sector, and we believe Gryphon’s Operations Resources Group and executive advisors will provide management with highly relevant and practical resources as they continue to build the company.”
Among Gryphon’s previous investments in the food industry are Flagstone Foods, Trusthouse Services Group, and Eight O’Clock Coffee.