The Marzetti Company announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bachan’s, the fast-growing Japanese Barbecue Sauce brand, in a deal valued at $400 million. The transaction is intended to deepen Marzetti’s position in the condiment and sauce category by adding a clean-label, premium brand tied to consumer demand for global flavors and “better-for-you” products.
Marzetti said Bachan’s net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, were approximately $87 million. The purchase price is subject to customary adjustments, and Marzetti said it plans to fund the acquisition with cash on hand and additional financing. The company expects the transaction to close before its fiscal year-end on June 30, 2026, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.
Marzetti CEO David A. Ciesinski said the acquisition is a strategic extension of the company’s portfolio and that the company intends to broaden distribution, support product innovation, and extend the Bachan’s brand into new channels and adjacent categories. Bachan’s founder and CEO, Justin Gill, said partnering with Marzetti positions the brand for its next chapter as he continues building what he described as an iconic Japanese-American flavor brand rooted in his family’s multi-generational recipe.
Marzetti described itself as a manufacturer and marketer of specialty food products for retail and foodservice, with retail brands including Marzetti dressings and dips, New York Bakery garlic breads, and Sister Schubert’s dinner rolls, as well as a portfolio of exclusive license agreements that includes restaurant-branded sauces and dressings. Bachan’s, launched in 2019 and headquartered in Sebastopol, California, said its product line is built on non-GMO ingredients and minimal processing.
Goldman Sachs served as exclusive financial advisor to Marzetti, with King & Spalding as legal counsel. Centerview Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to Bachan’s, with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as legal counsel.
KEY QUOTES
“We are very excited to share our plans to acquire Bachan’s as a strategic extension of our portfolio that will further strengthen our position in the dynamic condiment and sauce category. Bachan’s created its original Japanese Barbecue Sauce from a multi-generational family recipe passed down to its founder, Justin Gill, who has done a tremendous job scaling the brand. Over time, we intend to further broaden distribution, support continued product innovation, and thoughtfully extend the brand into new channels and adjacent categories.”
“This transaction will reinforce Marzetti’s position as a global leader in sauces by adding a premium brand that is exceptionally well aligned with evolving consumer preferences for global flavors and better-for-you products. We look forward to welcoming the Bachan’s team to the Marzetti family!”
David A. Ciesinski, Chief Executive Officer, The Marzetti Company
“Over the last several years, building Bachan’s has allowed me to fulfill my childhood dream of bringing my family’s sauce to market. My team and I have been working incredibly hard to deliver on this vision of building the first iconic Japanese-American flavor brand, and I am honored to partner with The Marzetti Company for the next stage of making my vision for Bachan’s a reality.”
“I am not only impressed by Marzetti’s incredible history, portfolio of brands, capabilities and mission – but what has left the most meaningful impression on me is who they are as people. Bachan’s is more than just a business or a brand to me – it is part of my family’s legacy and our brand values are my own personal values, instilled in me by my family. Marzetti is an organization that deeply shares these values, and I am confident they will honor them in this next chapter for Bachan’s. My team and I could not be more excited for our future with Marzetti as our strategic partner and as the new home for Bachan’s.”
Justin Gill, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bachan’s
