Houlihan Lokey Advises Nonni's Food Group

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Nonni's Food Group (Nonni's), a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners, has been acquired by Vestar Capital Partners (Vestar).

This deal represents another successful transaction for Houlihan Lokey in the food & beverage industry.

Nonni's Food Group is the leading producer, marketer, and distributor of branded premium specialty cookies and baked goods in North America. The company sells products under the Nonni's, THINaddictives, and La Dolce Vita brands through a diverse distribution platform that includes major customers in club, grocery, mass market, foodservice, and online retail. Nonni's premium brands are synonymous with the descriptors "artisanal," "authentic," and "Italian-inspired." The company produces its traditional biscotti using the original family recipe, including real eggs, butter, and gourmet bittersweet chocolate that gives the biscotti a light, crunchy texture that is delicately sweet. The devotion to real, quality ingredients is the foundation for the continued success of the company. Nonni's Biscotti is the number one selling biscotti in the U.S. and the only national brand sold coast to coast.

Wind Point Partners is a leading Chicago-based private equity investment firm with over $2.3 billion in assets under management. Wind Point Partners focuses on partnering with top-caliber management teams to acquire middle-market businesses where it can establish a clear path to value creation. The firm targets investments in the consumer products, industrial products, and business services sectors. The firm is currently investing out of Wind Point Partners VIII, a $985 million fund that was initiated in 2016.

Vestar Capital Partners is a leading U.S. middle-market private equity firm specializing in management buyouts and growth capital investments. Vestar invests in and collaborates with incumbent management teams and private owners to build long-term enterprise value, with a focus on consumer, healthcare, business services, and industrial products. Since its founding in 1988, Vestar funds have completed 80 investments in companies—as well as more than 200 add-on acquisitions—with a total value of approximately $50 billion.