Crave Better Foods has acquired Solero organic fruit bars from Iris Brands, a deal that forms part of the US ice-cream products supplier’s belief consumers want “strong brands made with elevated ingredients”.
In a statement, Connecticut-based Crave Better Foods, the privately-owned business behind The Original Chipwich ice-cream sandwiches, told just-food the company had “acquired all the assets/business associated with the Solero brand and future innovation in the ice-cream category”.
Solero was launched in 2017 by Josh Hochschuler and Steve Gill, the founders of Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, the US ice-cream business sold to Unilever in 2014.
Crave Better Foods said Hochschuler and Gill “wished to retain Iris Brands for reasons unrelated to the deal. As is typical in these types of transactions, we acquired the operating assets of the business, no liabilities”.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
just-food has approached Hochschuler for comment.
David Clarke, the co-founder CEO of Crave Better Foods, said: “When we started Crave and relaunched Chipwich, our premise was there would always be consumer demand for strong brands made with elevated ingredients. Solero is a perfect example.”
Former DeMet’s Candy Company and Pladis executive Clarke set up Crave Better Foods in 2017 and relaunched Chipwich a year later. Production of Chipwich was stopped in 2011 by previous owner Nestlé.
In a statement, Hochschuler said: “It is with great enthusiasm and optimism that we now become part of the Crave Better Foods Family. “Solero is a young, innovative organic fruit bar brand that will now benefit from a great deal of synergies with a classic, the Original Chipwich. We look forward to joining forces and providing consumers with a best-in-class, delicious frozen treat.”
