West Madison Foods, manufacturer and marketer of Dean’s Dips and Marie’s salad dressings, has acquired The Flavor of California, the company holding the license for Bob’s Big Boy Salad Dressings & Dips. The acquisition strengthens West Madison Foods’ position in the refrigerated salad dressing category and creates opportunities for nationwide distribution.
The company acquired the business from an ownership group consisting of CEO Julie Pantiskas and Salt Creek Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction includes the retail dressings and dips business but does not involve Bob’s Big Boy restaurants.
The acquisition adds Bob’s Big Boy’s refrigerated product line to West Madison Foods’ portfolio, including Bleu Cheese, Country Ranch, Roquefort, and Thousand Island dressings and dips, along with the brand’s Red Relish. The products are sold through grocery and mass retail channels.
As part of the transaction, West Madison Foods entered into an amended licensing agreement with Big Boy Restaurant Group that expands the brand’s distribution rights beyond the Western U.S. and Mexico to the entire United States.
“This acquisition strengthens our position in the refrigerated salad dressing space,” says Henk Hartong, Chairman and CEO of Brynwood Partners, which owns West Madison Foods. “We are also excited to now expand the Bob's Big Boy availability to the entire US as we have expanded our territory concurrent with this transaction.”
The expanded agreement will allow West Madison Foods to introduce Bob’s Big Boy products in additional markets, including Michigan and Ohio, where the restaurant brand has a longstanding presence.
West Madison Foods is part of Brynwood Partners’ food and beverage portfolio, which also includes Carolina Beverage Group, Hometown Food Company, and Miracapo Pizza Company. Together, the businesses generate more than $2.5 billion in annual sales and employ more than 3,700 people across 11 U.S. manufacturing facilities.
