Flowers Foods, the US baker, is to buy Arizona-based Holsum Bakery in a cash-and-stock deal.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Financial details of the deal were undisclosed.


Holsum, which was established in 1881, claims to be Arizona’s oldest family-owned business and has two bakeries in the Phoenix area.


Holsum employs 580 people and sells its products through independent distributors that serve retail and foodservice customers in Arizona, New Mexico, southern Nevada and Southern California with fresh breads and rolls under the Holsum, Aunt Hattie’s, and Roman Meal brands.


George Deese, Flowers Foods chairman, CEO and president said: “We are fortunate to have this fine organisation merge with Flowers Foods. The Eisele family name is one of the oldest and most respected in the baking industry. Holsum and Flowers have similar operating strategies and business ethics. This merger of Holsum and Flowers further strengthens our operations and brings new talent to our company. We look forward to the growth opportunities the merger will provide as we strategically expand our geographic footprint and continue to build value for our shareholders.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Ed Eisele, president and majority owner of Holsum, added: “Our team is pleased to become part of Flowers Foods. Our companies have a shared commitment to the highest quality products, excellent customer service, and constant innovation and investments to keep our bakeries the best in our industry. It also is important to note that the culture within Flowers and Holsum is nearly identical and this will be a great fit for both organisations. We truly look forward to expanding into new geographies with an even broader product line than we have today.”


Eisele will continue to lead the business when the merger is completed. Holsum will operate under its current name as a part of Flowers Foods.


“Under Ed’s leadership, Holsum Bakery has achieved strong sales and earnings growth and we expect that growth trend to continue once the merger is accomplished,” Deese said.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact