Jenni Spinner: Could you please share an overview of PIM Brands—your history, the fun brands under your umbrella, and what sets the company apart from other producers in this space?

Lisa Eustic: Michael Rosenberg started this company more than four decades ago, in his dorm room with $150, while he was still an undergraduate student at American University. At the time, it was called Promotion in Motion, and the original idea was not food; it was advertising. He saw an opportunity to place ads on tractor-trailers and make them moving billboards.

The real turning point came when PIM secured a licensing deal with Columbia Pictures in 1981 to create “Annie Cookies” based on the movie. That specific product changed everything. It proved that licensed, branded snacks could create real excitement. From there, we leaned into innovation, creativity, and making exceptional products driven by consumer demand.

Eventually, that approach led to what many people know us for today—Welch’s Fruit Snacks, which transformed the fruit snacks category entirely.

PIM Brands has grown into one of the largest snack and confectionery companies in the world while staying privately owned and entrepreneur-led and was named one of America’s Best Companies to work for in 2026 by Best Companies Group.

In addition to the Welch’s Fruit Snacks line, we are the makers of other beloved brands such as Sour Jacks, Toggi Wafers, and Sun-Maid Chocolate Raisins. We’ve achieved consistent growth for decades by staying disciplined about innovation, distribution, and listening closely to consumers. Along the way, we’ve expanded internationally, invested heavily in manufacturing, expanded from confections and snacks into pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements and built a portfolio of brands enjoyed by millions of consumers around the world each day.

JS: Could you please share how the idea for Welch’s Fruit Snacks and partnership with Welch’s came up?

LE: Welch’s Fruit Snacks were introduced 25 years ago with a clear goal: to create a lunchbox snack that parents could feel good about giving their families. At the time, many fruit snacks in the category were closer to candy than fruit, and we saw an opportunity to do things differently.

By focusing on real fruit and high-quality ingredients, Welch’s Fruit Snacks helped redefine what fruit snacks could be. That commitment continues today. The entire portfolio is made with Whole Fruit as the main ingredient and is free from artificial dyes, reinforcing our promise to deliver a snack parents can trust and the entire family can enjoy.

When it came to choosing a partner for this venture, Welch’s stood out for its longstanding heritage of offering only the finest quality fruit and shared commitment to premium quality.

JS: What can you tell us about the process of perfecting the formulation before you first launched a little more than 25 years ago?

LE: Perfecting the formulation was an extensive process that took both time and rigor. From the outset, we knew that delivering on real fruit was only part of the equation. We also had to meet very high expectations for taste and texture, especially for families and kids.

Our team went through countless iterations to get it right, carefully balancing the fruit flavor with the right level of sweetness, and then perfecting the process which creates that soft texture we are still so known and loved for today.

That focus on quality and authenticity, starting with the unmistakable whole fruit aroma when opening a pack, to the unique taste and texture, is what ultimately set Welch’s Fruit Snacks apart at launch, and it continues to drive the brand today. It’s also a big reason why Welch’s Fruit Snacks is America’s favorite and the World’s favorite as well.

Courtesy of PIM Brands

JS: That product has led to the launch of lots of other fruit-based snacks—could you please provide an overview of the items in the Welch’s lineup?

LE: Across the entire lineup, every product is designed with the same care and attention to taste, quality, and authenticity that has defined the brand from the beginning, while continuing to introduce new ways for families to enjoy the whole fruit-based snacking experience. Our goal is to have a unique snacking option for everyone in the family.  In addition to our beloved Welch’s Fruit Snacks, our Welch's Fusions line is a Gen Z favorite where two delicious fruits come together in every piece – one luscious fruit flavor on the chewy fruit snack outside and another in the juicy center to tantalize taste buds.  We also just launched two new function-forward products expanding our better-for-you snacking portfolio, and we’re really excited about our New No Sugar Added Welch’s Fruitfuls Fruit Strips and New Welch’s Probiotic Yogofruits.

JS: Then, please tell us about the most recent innovation, Probiotic Yogofruits. Please tell us about what’s in them (and what’s not), what else makes them special, and what makes PIM think these are going to be a hit with consumers?

LE: With consumer demand for gut-friendly foods surging, probiotics and fiber have become breakout priorities in the snacking aisle, reflecting a broader shift toward snacks that support digestive wellness.  PIM Brands is not only a trusted name in Fruit Snacks but also a company with a deep heritage in supplements and pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing. With Welch’s Probiotic Yogofruits, we’re proud to blend that science-driven expertise with our longstanding and broad snack experience. It’s a powerful step that underscores our commitment to continuously raising the bar.

Welch’s Probiotic Yogofruits, which hit store shelves nationwide starting in June, are designed to help support digestive health and introduces our most functional benefits in snacking to date.

Each serving combines delicious fruit bite centers, made with Whole Fruit as the main ingredient, and a creamy yogurt coating delivering 2 billion probiotic cultures and 3 g of fiber. Made without artificial dyes or flavors, Welch’s Probiotic Yogofruits are also gluten-free, non-GMO, peanut- and tree-nut-free, are made without corn syrup, and have a Halal designation. PIM Brands’ dedication to innovation continues to meet consumers where they want it most-with snacks delivering both delicious real fruit flavors and benefits.

JS: What’s next for PIM? Please feel free to tell us about new Welch’s Fruit Snacks line extensions, other products, anything that comes to mind.

LE: Both fruit snacks and confections are the focus of our world, and we are obsessed with continuing to innovate, surprise, and delight our customers.  We have some exciting things coming up on the confections side of the business, including a partnership with The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which includes new Creamsicle and Popsicle products launching in early 2027. One thing for sure is that all our innovation will be unmatched in quality and will always keep our consumer at the center.

Related: Welch's Fruit Snacks announces its products are dye-free