DETROIT – Ferndale-based Garden Fresh Gourmet has been sold to the Campbell's Soup Company for $231 million.
Garden Fresh, which makes salsa, hummus, dips and tortilla chips, will become part of the Campbell Fresh unit.
"Garden Fresh Gourmet will allow the Campbell Fresh division to expand in the deli section of the grocery store perimeter and will complement our strong presence in the produce section. It
is a logical extension of our fresh food and beverage platform that resonates with today's consumers. This is a critical next step in our journey to becoming the leader in the fast-growing
packaged fresh category," said Jeff Dunn, President–Campbell Fresh. "Garden Fresh Gourmet is an American success story, whose leadership has built a vibrant brand with a loyal following
in faster-growing categories like refrigerated salsas and hummus. We will leverage our packaged fresh production and distribution, sales and brand-building capabilities to help Garden
Fresh Gourmet become a national brand."
Garden Fresh Gourmet was founded in 1998 when Jack and Annette Aronson made their first batch of salsa in a five-gallon bucket in the back of their restaurant and eventually started to
package it for stores at the request of a local upscale grocer. Garden Fresh Gourmet generated $100 million in net sales for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014.
The company will continue to run out of its headquarters in Ferndale and Aronson will stay on as an adviser to the business.
"We believe Campbell is the right company to take Garden Fresh Gourmet to the next level and introduce our great products to more customers and more consumers. I know Campbell is a fitting home for the Garden Fresh Gourmet family," Aronson said.
Garden Fresh Gourmet has approximately 500 employees with headquarters based in Ferndale, Mich. The company also has operations in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Inkster, Mich.; and Detroit, Mich.
This is the latest acquisition by Campbell Soup Co. that looks to keep pace with consumers' increasing interest in fresh and organic products amid limp sales of its trademark canned soups. The Camden, New Jersey-based company purchased food company Bolthouse Farms in 2012 and organic baby food company Plum in 2013.