Barry Callebaut has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Mona Lisa Food Products Inc., a leader in chocolate decorations products in the United States.
February 10, 2012
Barry Callebaut has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Mona Lisa Food Products Inc., a leader in chocolate decorations products in the United States. The privately owned company will be integrated into Barry Callebaut’s North American Gourmet & Specialties Products business. The acquisition of Mona Lisa confirms Barry Callebaut’s intention to further accelerate the growth of its Gourmet & Specialties Products business and to add more adjacent products to the company’s offerings for professional users of chocolate such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, and the HORECA business (hotels, restaurants, catering).
With the acquisition of Mona Lisa Food Products, Barry Callebaut will also strengthen its global footprint and establish a dedicated foothold for decorations products in the U.S. The newly acquired company complements the business activities of Barry Callebaut’s center of competence for chocolate decorations located in Zundert, The Netherlands.
Mona Lisa Food Products generated sales revenue approaching $10 million in 2011 with around 40 employees. Peter Thom, Owner and President of Mona Lisa Food Products, founded the company in 1987 in Salinas, Calif. Since the start, the company’s business has been steadily expanding and relocated in 1993 from California to Hendersonville, N.C., where it has a single manufacturing facility. Mona Lisa Food Products manufactures a variety of chocolate and pastry decoration products such as cups, curls, spoons, shavings, blossoms, which are distributed mainly within the U.S., but also shipped internationally. The company is serving a wide range of segments in the food industry, including, but not limited to, in-store bakeries, the HORECA business, and industrial bakeries.
“The acquisition of Mona Lisa Food Products Inc. is another step to broaden our knowledge and to accelerate the growth of our Gourmet & Specialties Products business. As a part of Barry Callebaut, the company will strengthen our global market position for chocolate decorations and serve as our dedicated center of competence in the U.S.,” said Juergen B. Steinemann, CEO of Barry Callebaut.
The transaction is expected to close in March 2012.
Press release