Kameda USA buys Mary’s Gone Crackers

Kameda USA Inc., a subsidiary of Kameda Seika Co. Ltd., Japan’s largest manufacturer of rice crackers, acquires 77.8% of Mary’s Gone Crackers, a Gridley, Calif.-based maker of organic, vegan and gluten-free foods. As part of the agreement, cofounder and chairman Mary Waldner and cofounder and CEO Dale Rodrigues will remain in their posts and continue to lead the company’s day-to-day operations, strategy and product innovation.

“We’re thrilled to join forces with the Kameda Seika family and feel privileged that the team recognizes Mary’s Gone Crackers as a brand it believes has significant potential for continued expansion in the U.S. and abroad,” says Waldner.

According to Rodrigues, he and Waldner found the relationship attractive because Kameda Seika demonstrated a commitment to preserving Mary’s Gone Crackers’ passion for making organic, gluten-free and nongenetically modified (nonGMO) foods that are delicious and impact the mind, body and planet in a positive way. All Mary’s Gone Crackers products are created with the company’s “conscious eating” philosophy in mind, which it says will remain unchanged moving forward.

Created by Waldner after learning she has celiac disease, Mary’s Gone Crackers’ snacks include signature, crispy, gourmet seed crackers, pretzels and cookies. The products feature whole, nutritious, unique ingredients, and are gluten-free and organic without trans-fats or dairy.

Herr Foods buys Silk City

Herr Foods Inc., Nottingham, Pa., acquires a majority share in Silk City. The Clifton, N.J.-based contract snack food manufacturer produces waffle-sandwich-style snacks, pizzelle-type snacks and popped chips. Herr’s produces a full line of snacks, including potato chips, pretzels, tortilla chips, cheese curls and popcorn, which it sells under the Herr’s, Flavor Mill, 1853 and Good Natured brand names.

“We’re very excited about the array of snack opportunities Silk City provides us,” says president Ed Herr. “With this new partnership, we expand our portfolio of manufacturing capabilities and believe we have an even greater innovation platform for responding to consumers’ growing interest in more diverse, natural and low-fat snacks.”

Herr’s plans to operate Silk City as a separate company.

Carl Buddig awards $50,000 grand prize in Dream Big Giveaway

Chicago-based Carl Buddig & Co., maker of Buddig lunchmeats and Old Wisconsin sausage and meat snack products, presented a check for $50,000 to Johnny Lutz of Madisonville, Ky. (center), the winner of its Dream Big Giveaway, Oct. 2 to Dec. 31. Tom Buddig (right), executive vice president marketing, presented the check to Lutz, a retired U.S. Postal Service mail carrier, and his wife, Gayle, at their home in Kentucky.

Lutz was one of nearly 80,000 participants in the Dream Big Giveaway sweepstakes. Entrants were asked to collect a combination of game tokens from product stickers on specially marked packaging, online via Facebook, by email or by mail for a chance to win the $50,000 Grand Prize. In addition, Buddig awarded hundreds of first and second instant-win prizes, including gas grills and other prizes. The Grand Prize winner was selected through a random drawing.

The Dream Big Giveaway is the latest in a series of promotions held by Carl Buddig & Co. since mid-2011. In July, the company will kick off a “Family Road Trip” promotion. The next Dream Big Giveaway returns in October.

B&G Foods buys TrueNorth nut cluster brand

B&G Foods Inc., Parsippany, N.J., purchased DeMet’s Candy Co.’s TrueNorth nut cluster brand, effective May 6. “We are delighted to welcome TrueNorth to the B&G Foods family,” says David L. Wenner, president and CEO of B&G Foods. “TrueNorth, which offers a 100% natural snacking experience, is the first addition to our snacks portfolio we entered the category last October by acquiring the New York Style, Old London, JJ Flats and Devonsheer brands.”

Brynwood Partners, the majority owner of Stamford, Conn.-based DeMet’s Candy, says the divesture of TrueNorth allows DeMet to focus on its core products, which include Turtles chocolate-caramel nut clusters, Flipz chocolate-coated pretzels and Treasures chocolates.

B&G Foods and its subsidiaries manufacture, sell and distribute a diversified portfolio of stable foods across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. B&G Foods also sells and distributes two branded household products.

Cape Cod Potato Chips sponsors lighthouse restoration

Cape Cod Potato Chips, Hyannis Port, Mass., sponsored the recent restoration of the historic Nauset Lighthouse in Eastham, Mass. The project included cleaning and painting the tower’s exterior and caulking windows, and was completed at the end of May, in time for the summer tourist season.

Cape Cod Potato Chips has been a supporter of the Nauset Light for many years, according to the Nauset Light Preservation Society (NLPS), Eastham, Mass. The iconic landmark appears on every bag of the company’s kettle-cooked chips.

“The Nauset Lighthouse is part of the fabric of the Cape Cod community, and it means a lot to us and our employees that we’re able to help preserve this piece of our heritage,” says Jeff Newell, senior process specialist, Cape Cod Potato Chips. “In addition to providing funding, we’re also planning to work with the NLPS to coordinate volunteer opportunities, so that we can remain involved in ongoing lighthouse maintenance projects.”

Part of the Snyder’s-Lance family of snack brands, Cape Cod Potato Chips supports a number of local community organizations, including Children’s Cove, JDRF New England Chapter, Cape Cod Child Development and Cape Cod Toys for Tots.