MCDONALD, TENN. — Frozen baked breakfast foods maker MBC Companies has expanded its product portfolio with the acquisition of frozen pizza manufacturer Nardone Brothers Baking Co.
MBC said the transaction, announced Jan. 7, also extends its market reach beyond breakfast and into the lunch, dinner and late-night dining segments. Financial terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.
A manufacturer and distributor of frozen breakfast items, McDonald, Tenn.-based MBC specializes in french toast sticks and bites, waffles, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and other baked foods for the K-12 schools, private label retail, convenience store and quick-serve restaurant markets.
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based Nardone Brothers serves most of the same North American channels, namely K-12 school lunch programs, private label retail and convenience stores. Its frozen product lineup spans multi-serve and personal round, stuffed crust, self-rising crust, french bread, wedge and breakfast pizzas, as well as pizza bagels, pizza shells and breadsticks, among other items.
“Nardone is an exceptional fit for MBC, with highly complementary strengths and capabilities,” said Jeff Ahlers, chief executive officer of MBC. “Both are family-founded with people-first, customer-focused cultures. Together, the businesses now cover all dayparts, from breakfast to late-night dining. Nardone’s product portfolio and channel focus align seamlessly with MBC’s, unlocking opportunities for cross-selling across our core K-12, private label and broader foodservice channels and solidifying our position as a one-stop solutions provider. This wider array of products brings new value to all our customers. Our combined production expertise will also drive continued innovation and growth across the platform.”
MBC operates two production facilities in Lebanon, Pa., and the addition of Nardone Brothers, which has 400 employees, expands its manufacturing footprint to a third location in Wilkes-Barre, where the pizza maker has a 152,000-square-foot facility.
Both companies operate in fast-growing frozen food categories, driven by strong consumer demand for convenient, high-quality meal options. According to MBC, the $2.3 billion frozen breakfast category is forecast to grow at a 7.4% compound annual growth rate through 2030, and the frozen breakfast company now enters the much-bigger $23.6 billion frozen pizza market, projected to grow at a 8.1% CAGR over that time span.
“Nardone has grown through three generations by listening to customers and making continuous strategic investments in equipment and technology,” said Vincent Nardone, president of Nardone Brothers Baking Co., a family business founded in 1942. “For the next stage in our growth, we sought out a strategic partner that shares our people-first values, understands our customers and has the resources to build upon the legacy we have created.”
MBC was formed in 2022 via the merger of Murry’s and Bake Crafters (founded in 1989) by Encore Consumer Capital, which had acquired the two family-owned businesses in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Founded in 1948, Murry’s made private label french toast sticks and primarily served the grocery and mass retail channels, while Bake Crafters was founded in 1989 as a wholesale bakery and distributor and then evolved into a manufacturer and distributor of frozen breakfast items and other baked foods serving the K-12 foodservice sector.
Private equity firm Entrepreneurial Equity Partners (e2p) acquired MBC from Encore in July 2023 to capitalize on growth and innovation in the frozen meals arena.
“We are thrilled to welcome Nardone to the MBC Companies family of businesses,” said Blake Miller, vice president at e2p. “This strategic partnership further enhances MBC’s product portfolio across all dayparts — from breakfast to lunch to late-night dining — enabling us to better serve the evolving needs of our customers. Both Nardone and MBC have deep expertise in the K-12 and private label categories, and our overlapping focus on these core channels will create opportunities for cross-selling and further strengthen the combined business. Together, we are excited to share best practices, invest in growth and drive continued product innovation across the platform.”
Chicago-based e2p focuses its investment portfolio on the food and beverages and consumer packaged goods sectors.
“Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of building a relationship with the Nardone family and have admired their unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional quality and service to K-12 schools and private label retail customers,” said e2p partner Ryan Schweet. “Nardone’s deeply rooted reputation as a trusted frozen pizza provider since the 1940s and operational excellence exemplify the values we seek in our partnerships. We look forward to preserving their heritage while driving the next phase of growth.”
