Ferndale-Based Salsa Company Sells for $231M

Ferndale- based Garden Fresh Gourmet, which makes the No. 1 branded refrigerated salsa in the United States, will sell to Campbell Soup Co. for $231 million.

Campbell announced Tuesday it is acquiring the company, founded by Jack Aronson in 1998, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Garden Fresh Gourmet also makes hummus, dips and tortilla chips.

“The acquisition of Garden Fresh Gourmet is another milestone in reshaping our portfolio toward faster-growing categories, including packaged fresh and organic foods,” Denise Morrison, Campbell’s President and CEO said in a statement. “Garden Fresh Gourmet’s on-trend products will provide Campbell with another growth engine to help us continue to shift our center of gravity.”

With the acquisition, Campbell plans to boost its presence among fresh and healthy food categories. The deal to buy Garden Fresh Gourmet, which generated $100 million in sales in 2014, is expected to close at the end of this year and will be folded into the Campbell Fresh division.

“We believe Campbell is the right company to take Garden Fresh Gourmet to the next level and introduce our great products to more customers and more consumers. I know Campbell is a fitting home for the Garden Fresh Gourmet family,” Aronson, who will join Campbell as an adviser, said in a statement.

Garden Fresh will continue to operate from Ferndale and will be led by Todd Putman, General Manager–Garden Fresh, within the Campbell Fresh division.