Nonni’s Foods L.L.C., a supplier of biscotti and almond thins in North America, has acquired Villa Veneto Corp. Based in Glendale, Ariz., Villa Veneto makes artisan biscotti and other specialty cookies sold in the club and grocery channels under the La Dolce Vita brand.
“La Dolce Vita is a strong strategic fit with Nonni’s, supports our growing biscotti business, expands our baking capabilities and positions Nonni’s, THINaddictives and La Dolce Vita to accelerate growth within premium cookies,” said Dave Bere, chief executive officer of Nonni’s Foods.
La Dolce Vita products are available in a variety of flavors and forms, including traditional biscotti and cantucci in almond, chocolate and dipped chocolate varieties. Additional baked goods are sold at various times, and include a line of macaroons, amaretti cookies and other classic Italian and holiday products.
“As a leader in the premium cookie category, Nonni’s has set a standard for exceptional quality, category leading innovation and operational excellence,” said Paola Tulliani, founder of La Dolce Vita. “The two companies complement each other well, and I look forward to working with and supporting Nonni’s commitment to producing differentiated products and accelerating growth.”
Mark Burgett, a managing director at Wind Point, added, “Two key components of our value creation plan at Nonni’s were to expand distribution and to acquire complementary product lines. La Dolce Vita is an excellent fit because it positions Nonni’s to expand into specialty retailers and other areas of the grocery store.”
Wind Point Partners acquired the Nonni’s Biscotti business from Chipita America, Inc., formerly known as Nonni’s Food Co., in February 2011. Nonni’s Biscotti produces, markets and distributes premium biscotti in the United States.