CHASKA, MN — QualiTech, a manufacturer of plant and animal nutrition and food ingredient products and services announced its acquisition of Fort Wayne, IN-based Ellison Bakery.
The baking company is a manufacturer of assorted cookies, snack bars, crunches, toppings and inclusion ingredients for retail, foodservice and private label. By acquiring Ellison, Qualitech is able to advance its strategic plans to expand its capabilities and drive future growth.
“We are excited to partner with QualiTech and to leverage MidOcean’s resources and expertise in the food business to drive success for the combined company,” said Stephanie Chattillion, CEO of Ellison Bakery. “QualiTech’s approach to customer service uniquely aligns with our own culture and commitment to delivering high-quality products to our customers. We look forward to expanding the breadth of products that we can offer and creating a leading customized food inclusion and ingredients platform.”
The deal comes on the heels of MidOcean Partners’ 2023 investment in the ingredient solutions manufacturer. The alternative asset manager identified Ellison as a priority add-on acquisition target due to the complementary nature of the company’s baked goods offerings and QualiTech’s ingredient solutions.
“Bringing Ellison into the QualiTech family will be beneficial for both companies as well as our customers,” said Rick Pedersen, CEO of QualiTech. “Both organizations have rich legacies of bespoke R&D, differentiated customer service and superior product quality. As a combined platform, we will be able to scale services, build additional product capabilities and unlock access to a larger addressable market. The acquisition accelerates QualiTech’s efforts to lead the industry in providing specialty ingredients that enhance the sensory components of consumers’ favorite foods and positions our business for long-term success.”
