Barilla Group has agreed to acquire GOODLES, the fast-growing boxed mac and cheese brand founded in 2020, as the companies prepare for the next stage of GOODLES’ growth in the U.S. and internationally. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
GOODLES will remain headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, and will continue to operate independently as a standalone brand following the close of the transaction.
The company’s entire team will be retained, with no reporting changes, and co-founder and CEO Jen Zeszut will continue to lead the business.
GOODLES will also maintain control over its products, recipes, ingredients, suppliers, quality standards, marketing and other operating decisions.
Founded in October 2020 as Gooder Foods, GOODLES was created around the idea of offering boxed mac and cheese with stronger nutritional characteristics while maintaining the taste and familiarity of the category.
The company has expanded rapidly since reaching retail shelves just over four years ago and is now distributed through major and independent retailers across the U.S.
GOODLES currently has a team of 73 employees and says it has built a highly engaged consumer following spanning kids, young adults and families.
The company said approximately 2 million new customers tried GOODLES during the past 90 days, while its fans generated roughly 235 million organic impressions for the brand during the same period.
GOODLES also said its consumers report personally introducing an average of 27 additional people to the brand, and the company says it has the highest Net Promoter Score in the mac and cheese category.
Despite that growth, GOODLES estimates that more than 90% of people in the U.S. have not yet tried its products, leaving substantial room for further domestic expansion.
The Barilla transaction is intended to provide GOODLES with resources and international capabilities that can support additional product innovation and geographic expansion while preserving the brand’s existing identity and operating culture.
Barilla Group is a fourth-generation family-owned food company founded in 1877 that operates across more than 100 countries.
The company owns brands spanning pasta, sauces and bakery products and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2027.
The companies said they share a focus on food quality, taste and carefully selected ingredients.
For Barilla, the transaction adds a rapidly growing U.S. brand that has built a distinct position within the boxed mac and cheese category.
For GOODLES, joining Barilla provides access to the infrastructure and international presence of a global food company while allowing the brand to maintain its independent operating model.
The acquisition remains subject to customary regulatory approvals.
KO Law is serving as legal advisor to GOODLES, while Centerview Partners is serving as financial advisor.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges and PedersoliGattai are serving as legal advisors to Barilla Group. Piper Sandler and Orbin & Company are serving as financial advisors to Barilla.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our mission has been to positively impact as many lives as possible with our delicious mac and cheese, and we are so proud of the millions of lives we’ve touched. But more than 90% of people in the US have never tried GOODLES, so we’ve only just begun! This brand wants to spread its wings and keep doing our weird and wonderful thing, so that we can have an even bigger impact – eventually on a global scale. I could not DREAM UP a better partner for our little brand and our beloved, hard-working team. We chose the Barilla Group because they can help us innovate and grow internationally while letting us make gooder decisions and maintain our quality. The Barilla Group loves us just the way we are, from our barely-running dune buggy to our over-flowing-with-joy HQ office in Santa Cruz! We’re not changing a thing,” said Jen Zeszut, the Cofounder & CEO of GOODLES. “I knew the Barilla Group was the perfect partner when I jokingly offered The Chairman (Mr. Barilla) a GOODLES bumper sticker for his new car that read ‘Me and My Homies Love Macaronis’ and he actually took it! I am so excited to see how our two worlds continue to collide.”
Jen Zeszut, Co-Founder and CEO of GOODLES
“Today is an important day for our Group,” said Guido Barilla, Chairman of the Barilla Group. “We had been following GOODLES closely for some time and became increasingly impressed by the strength of the brand, the quality of its products, and the momentum behind its growth. As we got to know the management team, led by Jen Zeszut, we were equally impressed by the strength of the organization, its unity, and its forward-looking mindset. Together, these qualities convinced us that GOODLES was the right choice and represents an exciting opportunity for the future.”
Guido Barilla, Chairman of Barilla Group
