Italian food firm Barilla has agreed to acquire US boxed mac and cheese company Goodles.
As part of the agreement, Goodles will continue to operate as an independent business, headquartered in Santa Cruz, US, with no changes to staff or leadership planned.
Jen Zeszut, co-founder and chief executive officer of Goodles, said, “This brand wants to spread its wings and keep doing our weird and wonderful thing, so that we can have an even bigger impact – eventually on a global scale.
“I could not dream up a better partner for our little brand and our beloved, hard-working team. We chose the Barilla Group because they can help us innovate and grow internationally while letting us make [better] decisions and maintain our quality.”
The deal remains subject to regulatory approvals.
Goodles
Goodles was founded in October 2020 as Gooder Foods, and has since grown as a boxed mac and cheese brand.
The company aims to attract all age groups and build a strong consumer base.
Goodles highlighted that customers have generated 235 million free impressions in the past 90 days.
The brand is available at several major and independent retailers across the US.
Zeszut added, “Our mission has been to positively impact as many lives as possible with our delicious mac and cheese, and we are so proud of the millions of lives we’ve touched.
“But more than 90% of people in the US have never tried Goodles, so we’ve only just begun!”
Barilla Group
Founded in 1877, the Barilla Group operates in more than 100 countries.
Commenting on the acquisition, Guido Barilla, chairman of the group, said, “We had been following Goodles closely for some time and became increasingly impressed by the strength of the brand, the quality of its products, and the momentum behind its growth.
“As we got to know the management team, led by Jen Zeszut, we were equally impressed by the strength of the organization, its unity, and its forward-looking mindset.
“Together, these qualities convinced us that Goodles was the right choice and represents an exciting opportunity for the future.”
Dining and Cooking