SAN FRANCISCO — Private equity firm NextWorld Evergreen has acquired Alter Eco Americas PBC, a chocolate-centric healthy indulgence food brand. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Alter Eco offers organic snacks, chocolate bars, chocolate truffles and heirloom grains in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Launched in the U.S. in 2005, Alter Eco products are made with only U.S.D.A.-certified organic, Non-GMO Project verified and Fair Trade Certified ingredients. The company works directly with small-scale farmers and uses fair-trade and organic practices to grow the quinoa, rice, sugar and cacao used in its products. Alter Eco products are sold in more than 10,000 retail outlets nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Publix and Safeway.
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| Mathieu Senard, co-founder and co-c.e.o. of Alter Eco |
“We have dedicated our work with Alter Eco in sourcing, crafting, and marketing outstanding products while showing that there is a better way to do business,” said Mathieu Senard, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Alter Eco. “Today marks a thrilling new era for the brand by joining NextWorld Evergreen’s portfolio, and we will continue to innovate and promote a model where people and the planet can benefit from a flourishing business — where companies regenerate rather than extract.”
Mr. Senard and co-founder and co-c.e.o. Edouard Rollet will remain at the helm of Alter Eco along with president Kate Tierney.
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| David Fife, partner of NextWorld Evergreen |
“We are excited to partner with the outstanding management team at Alter Eco, which has built a remarkable company based on a set of values and amazing-tasting products, while succeeding in being good stewards of the world we live in,” said David Fife, partner of NextWorld Evergreen. “We see tremendous opportunity to accelerate the company’s growth while taking very seriously our stewardship of the Alter Eco brand. With several new products in the making and a team of experienced professionals, the company is at an inflection point, poised to continue to grow and expand market share in the natural and conventional channels.”
NextWorld Evergreen is a private equity firm focused on providing growth capital to the consumer sector with a focus on product categories, including food and beverage. NextWorld Evergreen’s portfolio includes such brands as Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Kusmi Tea and Steven Smith Teamaker, and the company previously invested in Mighty Leaf Tea and La Boulange.
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| Edouard Rollet, co-founder and co-c.e.o. of Alter Eco |
