THOMASVILLE, GA. — Flowers Foods, Inc. announced it has made an investment in Base Culture, a Clearwater, Fla.-based maker of better-for-you, gluten-free and grain-free sliced bread and baked foods.
While financial terms of the investment were not disclosed, Flowers Foods noted that it expects its investment will be used to help Base Culture grow distribution, scale marketing, and bolster its existing manufacturing capabilities.
Base Culture was founded in 2012 by chief executive officer Jordann Windschauer. Ms. Windschauer created the company after struggling to find all-natural, snacks that aligned with a paleo lifestyle. Five years after making her own products at home, Ms. Windschauer opened Base Culture’s manufacturing facility in Clearwater. Today, Base Culture products are available in nearly 15,000 retail locations nationwide as well as online. Base Culture offers simple, all-natural products that are 100% paleo-certified, gluten-free, grain-free, kosher-certified, dairy-free, soy-free and non-GMO verified. Select items are also keto-certified.
“The world of food is constantly evolving, and seeing entrepreneurs like Jordann create a vibrant brand that resonates with health-conscious consumers is truly inspiring,” said Ryals McMullian, president and CEO of Flowers Foods. “We look forward to supporting Base Culture as it continues to grow."
Ms. Windschauer said Flowers Foods and Base Culture share similar values of “putting people first, refusing to compromise on quality and taste, and driving action with insights.”
“Together, we are committed to reaching more consumers around the country with Base Culture’s cleanly-formulated, high-quality and delicious products,” Ms. Windschauer said. “We are eager to partner with Flowers and leverage over a century of industry expertise as we embark on our next phase of growth.”
Flowers Foods joins an existing investor group led by Emil Capital Partners.
“We have had the privilege of supporting Jordann and her team over the last several years as they reimagine baked goods on shelf, and they have proven to be bold, enterprising and determined every step of the way,” said Marcel Bens, managing partner and chief operating officer of Emil Capital Partners. “We are delighted that Flowers Foods has chosen to invest in the company, and we believe this is the start of an exciting chapter that will ultimately see Base Culture become a household name.”
Whipstitch Capital served as the exclusive financial adviser to Base Culture in this transaction.
Article By: Eric Schroeder
Link to full article: Flowers Foods snags stake in Base Culture | Food Business News
Leave a comment (all fields required)