Funds managed by CapVest Partners, a private equity investor based in London, today announced it has closed on the acquisition of Second Nature Brands in Madison Heights, which produces Kar’s Nuts, Second Nature Snacks, and Sanders Chocolates.
The seller was a private equity fund affiliated with Palladium Equity Partners in New York City. Terms of the CapVest transaction were not disclosed.
With a heritage stretching more than 140 years, Second Nature is a leader in the fast-growing snacks and treats market and focuses on the nutritional and lifestyle needs of health-conscious consumers. The company’s brands comprise Kar’s Nuts, the No. 1 branded trail mix; Second Nature Snacks, a pioneer in natural, non-GMO-verified premium snacks and trail mixes; and Sanders Chocolates, the leader in premium, small-batch, kettle-cooked sea salt caramels.
“Second Nature Brands is a very exciting platform with ambitious plans to grow its presence in the highly attractive snacking and treats market,” says Othmane Khelladi, a partner at CapVest. “Through our ownership, we look forward to supporting Vic Mehren and his world-class team in accelerating growth through further investment in product innovation, category leadership, and by scaling the existing platform through transformational acquisitions.”
Commenting on behalf of Second Nature Brands, CEO Vic Mehren said: “The CapVest team’s deep consumer food experience will be invaluable as we work to build on our Snacks and Treats platform organically, and inorganically with strategic acquisitions.”
CapVest has been investing in food businesses around the world for more than 20 years and has a deep understanding of the consumer food sector. Recent successes include the transformation of Valeo Foods from an Irish-only business with less than €200 million in sales, to a leading global ambient food group with over €1.1 billion in net sales operating in over 106 markets around the world.
CapVest was advised in the Second Brand transaction by William Blair (M&A) and Willkie Farr & Gallagher (legal).
CapVest is a leading international private equity investor. For more information, visit www.capvest.co.uk
Second Nature Brands offers a number of brands, including Kar’s Nuts, Second Nature Snacks, and Sanders Chocolates. The company has an extensive distribution network across the United States and a growing direct-to-consumer eCommerce presence.
For more information, visit www.karsnuts.com.
