American organic and natural food firm Hain Celestial Group Inc. wrapped up its $15 million sale of its Arrowhead Mills and SunSpire brands to Chicago-based Hometown Food Company on Tuesday, the company announced in a release. Under the terms of the deal, the portfolio company of Brynwood Partners VII L.P. and Brynwood Partners VIII L.P. will also take possession of an Arrowhead Mills production plant in Hereford, TX and its workforce. 

“We are pleased to complete the strategic divestitures of the Arrowhead Mills and SunSpire brands demonstrating the consistent execution of our stated transformational plan to reduce complexity and simplify the brand portfolio,” Mark L. Schiller, president and chief executive officer of Hain Celestial, said in a statement. “We believe the Arrowhead Mills and SunSpire brands will thrive under new ownership as we focus our future initiatives and investments on areas of our business that better leverage our core competences to improve our margins, profitability, and cash flow generation.”

Established in 1960, the Arrowhead Mills brand provides organic baking and breakfast products, like all-purpose flour and cold and hot cereals. The SunSpire brand includes baking chocolate, chocolate candy, dairy and gluten free chocolate, and bulk chocolate made from simple ingredients. 

“Arrowhead Mills and SunSpire were pioneers in the organic, non-GMO ingredients space and we are excited to add these tremendous brands to our portfolio,” said Henk Hartong, chairman and chief executive officer of Brynwood Partners, in a separate release. “This acquisition strengthens our industry position by adding improved capabilities in the better-for-you space that we plant to expend into our other categories.”

Hometown Food Company was established in June 2018 as Brynwood Partners was preparing to acquire several brands from the J.M. Smucker Company, including Pillsbury shelf-stable baking products, Hungry Jack, Funfetti, White Lily, Jim Dandy, and Martha White. 

For more news headlines, articles, and equipment reviews, visit our Equipment Zones

More Food Industry articles:

Ice Cream Recalled After Plastic Found in Product

Frito-Lay Launches New Sustainability Project

Food Firms Go All In on Reduced-Sugar Chocolate in 2019