Private-equity firm Advent International is reportedly considering an initial public offering for Sovos Brands, its US food business.

News agency Bloomberg, quoting unnamed sources, said Advent is working with an adviser to weigh alternatives for California-based Sovos Brands, which owns Rao’s pasta sauce, Michael Angelo’s frozen meals and Noosa yogurt. It said these alternatives could also include a sale of the business.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more

Bloomberg suggested the business could fetch US$2bn-$3bn in a transaction.

The company was set up in 2016 by Boston, Massachusetts-based Advent to become a “scale player” in the US food industry.

It has done this largely through acquisitions. In September, on the back of buying local bakery business Birch Benders, Sovos Brands said it was on the look-out for more deals.

The group posted revenue of about $800m in 2020 and is on track for 30% annual growth, according to Bloomberg‘s sources.

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

In September, Jason Vieth, a senior vice president at Sovos Brands, told just-food the business had done exceptionally well during the Covid period as consumers were increasingly eating at home.

Advent declined to comment about the IPO and sale speculation when approached by Bloomberg.

just-food has contacted Sovos Brands for a response to this story but a representative of the company said it did not have a comment to make.

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