SALINAS, CALIF. — Taylor Farms, a North American producer of salads and fresh foods, has acquired the Earthbound Farm business from Danone S.A. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Danone added Earthbound Farm to its portfolio as part of its $12.5 billion acquisition of WhiteWave Foods Co. in April 2017. Founded in Carmel Valley, Calif., by Drew and Myra Goodman in 1984, Earthbound Farm sells organic packaged salads, fruits and vegetables. In 2014, the company was acquired by WhiteWave Foods for $600 million.
Earthbound Farm had sales of $400 million in 2018, according to Paris-based Danone.
“We are grateful for Danone’s stewardship of Earthbound Farm during the past two years and for the opportunity to return ownership of this organic fresh produce leader to local roots and family ownership,” Taylor Farms said.
Earthbound Farm will join the Taylor Farms Retail Group.
“We will build on Earthbound Farm’s tradition of organic authenticity, new variety development and quality focus with expanded regional organic growing and processing capability to better serve Earthbound Farm’s customers and consumers across North America,” Taylor Farms said.
Danone said the sale of Earthbound Farm is part of a previously announced portfolio management and capital allocation optimization strategy.