Industry News

Legacy Bakehouse acquires Classic Cookie

The company also obtained Angelic Bakehouse's assets in July 2024.

Legacy Bakehouse, a WI-based contract and private-label manufacturer of baked snacks, has announced the acquisition of Mannon Specialty Foods, Inc. dba Classic Cookie ("Classic Cookie"), a Sevierville, TN-based baker of premium cookie products. This acquisition expands Legacy’s baking categories and geographic reach while adding a retail brand with national distribution. This is the second bakery acquisition by Legacy Bakehouse in six months, having acquired the production site and assets of Angelic Bakehouse in July 2024.

Classic Cookie, founded in 1984, sells its cookies through Walmart as well as other national and regional retailers and distribution partners. The company’s products are also a favorite among fundraising organizations nationwide. Classic Cookie operates a 50,000 sq. ft. SQF commercial bakery in Sevierville, TN, which was recently expanded to accommodate continued strong growth.

Legacy Bakehouse is a 107-year-old company that develops and manufactures a range of baked snacks and snack components, including pita chips, tortillas, rye chips, garlic chips, bread sticks, and more. Its products are reportedly used by leading brands, emergent brands, and private labels. Legacy was acquired by Benford Capital Partners (BCP) in 2023.

“Classic Cookie is a major step, expanding our baked snacks capabilities, capacity, markets, and customers,” says Alain Vallet-Sandre, chief commercial officer at Legacy Bakehouse. “Adding our contract manufacturing and private-label capabilities to Classic Cookie’s strong sales channels, as well as expanding our salty/savory snacking platform to include sweet, rounds out our offerings, increasing Legacy’s attractiveness as a partner to a broader cross-section of customers.”

The Classic Cookie acquisition expands Legacy’s bakery categories and adds an emerging brand with retail distribution to Legacy’s portfolio. It also adds diverse cookie and brownie production capabilities to its contract manufacturing and private label product portfolio. The Sevierville, TN location will be the third production facility in Legacy’s growing production network.

“Classic Cookie is a strategic acquisition in our evolving baking platform,” says Brian Behm, principal at Benford. “Classic Cookie’s primary channels, including national retail, vending, contract manufacturing, private label, and fundraising are complementary to Legacy’s.”