Dessert Holdings acquires Willamette Valley Pie Co.

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Dessert Holdings acquires Willamette Valley Pie Co.

14 Jul 2025

Maddie Lambert

Maddie Lambert is a copywriter and editor from Joplin, MO. She graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English – literary studies. When she’s not poring over the magazine or lost in the pages of a new novel, you can find Maddie exploring her local bookstores, spending time with her husband, or sharing her latest literary discoveries with fellow book enthusiasts.

ST. PAUL, MN, and SALEM, OR — Dessert Holdings acquired Willamette Valley Pie Co., a premium pie and dessert manufacturer. The acquisition complements Dessert Holdings’ existing portfolio of scratch-made, high-quality dessert brands serving retail and foodservice customers.

“Willamette’s assortment of clean-label, homemade real fruit pies and desserts is highly complementary to our existing portfolio of premium desserts,” said Paul Lapadat, CEO of Dessert Holdings. “Willamette holds a distinctive market position, having garnered a deeply loyal following, forged key connections with local growers and suppliers and established long-standing relationships with leading retailers. We see an incredible opportunity to support the company’s growth, bolster its retail relationships and drive expansion of its beloved products.”

Willamette has built a reputation for its lineup of hand-crafted, customizable fruit pies, cobblers and dessert products that use natural ingredients, including farm-fresh fruit, locally sourced dairy and 100% real butter crust. The company works closely with independent, artisanal growers to source produce for its assortment of flavors, such as its Dutch Caramel Apple Pie, Cherry Crunch Pie, Oregon Berry Pie, and Peach Cobblers.

“We see an incredible opportunity to support [Willamette’s] growth, bolster its retail relationships and drive expansion of its beloved products.” — Paul Lapadat | CEO | Dessert Holdings

Willamette will operate under its current management team led by president Austin Kelly, who was featured as the Executive Profile in the February | Q1 2025 issue of Commercial Baking.

“For more than 20 years, Willamette has been more than a dessert company — we’ve been a part of family tables, celebrations and everyday moments of joy,” Kelly said. “We’re incredibly proud of our heritage and how far we’ve come, growing into a trusted, distinctive partner for leading retailers nationwide. Joining the Dessert Holdings platform is an exciting new chapter, and we believe they share our passion and values to help us grow while staying true to who we are.”

RSM served as accounting advisor to Dessert Holdings, and Whipstitch Capital served as financial advisor to Willamette Valley Pie Co. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

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