ORRVILLE, OHIO — The J.M. Smucker Co. on Dec. 2 finalized the divesture of the Voortman cookie business to Second Nature Brands. Second Nature Brands in late October agreed to acquire the business for approximately $305 million.

The transaction includes a leased manufacturing plant in Burlington, Ont., and approximately 300 employees who will transition with the business.

Founded in 1951, Voortman Cookies has evolved from a Hamilton, Ont., bakery opened by two Dutch brothers, William and Harry Voortman, into a business that ranks as the No. 1 player in crème wafers and sugar-free cookies. In 2017, Voortman underwent a brand relaunch that included a new logo and packaging, new formulations and updated flavors. J.M. Smucker acquired the business in Nov. 2023 as part of its $5.6 billion purchase of Hostess Brands.

Second Nature Brands is a portfolio company of private equity firm CapVest Partners LLP, New York. Other brands in the Second Nature portfolio include Kar’s Nuts, Second Nature Snacks, Sahale Snacks, Sanders and Brownie Brittle.

J.M. Smucker said the Voortman brand generated net sales of approximately $65 million in the fiscal year ended April 30, which represents a partial year of net sales reported in its Sweet Baked Snacks segment results following its acquisition on Nov. 7, 2023. For fiscal 2025, J.M. Smucker forecast the Voortman brand would generate approximately $150 million in sales.

In remarks accompanying the release of its second-quarter earnings on Nov. 26, Mark Smucker, chairman, president and chief executive officer of J.M. Smucker, said the divestiture of Voortman “underscores our strategy of focusing resources on our largest growth opportunities.”

“Further, we are ensuring our network is fully optimized to unlock costs, reduce complexity, and drive quality,” he said.

In connection with the closing of the Voortman transaction J.M. Smucker updated its full-year fiscal 2025 net sales guidance. The company said it now expects net sales to increase 7.5% to 8.5% over fiscal 2024, down from its earlier forecast of 8.5% to 9.5% growth.

“The updated net sales guidance reflects the removal of approximately $65 million of divested net sales in fiscal 2025, with the estimated net sales impact evenly distributed throughout the remainder of the fiscal year,” J.M. Smucker said. “On a comparable basis, net sales is expected to increase 1% to 2%, which excludes noncomparable sales in the current year from the acquisition of Hostess Brands and noncomparable sales in the prior year related to the divestitures of the Voortman, Canada condiment and Sahale Snacks businesses.”