PepsiCo has agreed a deal to acquire US firm Bare Snacks for an undisclosed sum.

The US food major, home to products including Lay’s potato chips and Quaker cereal, is set to buy a business centred on what it calls “better-for-you” snacks. CNBC, citing a source, said PepsiCo paid less than US$200m for the company.

Bare Snacks, based in California, was set up in 2001 by a family-owned organic apple farm in Washington, that began selling packaged baked apple chips in local farmers’ markets. The company has attracted various private-equity investors since its formation; its current shareholders include venture capital group NGEN.

Its product range now also includes banana and coconut snacks, while it has recently expanded into vegetable chips.

Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo’s chairman and CEO, said Bare Snacks “fits perfectly” with “Performance with Purpose”, the US behemoth’s “vision of making more nutritious products”.

She added: “The Bare Snacks leadership team has done an outstanding job building a top-tier organisation and a strong brand with authentic roots, and I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Bare Snacks to the PepsiCo family.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

PepsiCo said Bare Snacks would “continue to operate independently” from its own headquarters in San Francisco, with its management reporting into Frito-Lay North America, PepsiCo’s domestic snacks division.

Santosh Padki, the CEO of Bare Foods, said the firm had a “mission of bringing simplicity to snacking”.

Padki, whose career includes time at Source Food Technology and Ruiz Foods, joined Bare Snacks in 2015.

“With a shared passion for crunchy, better-for-you snacks, PepsiCo is the right partner to help bring our simply baked fruit and vegetable snacks to even more consumers across the world and continue to grow our brand,” Padki said.