Stir-Pacifica to grow its dips offer with deal for Sabra’s salsa unit

Stir Foods and Pacifica Foods (Stir-Pacifica), a California-based company owned by private equity firm Wind Point Partners, has acquired Sabra Dipping Company’s salsa business.

The deal includes the Santa Barbara and Chachies brands, as well as Sabra brand salsa, which will be phased out.

Wind Point Partners said the deal, which includes Sabra’s facility in Oceanside, California, will enhance Stir-Pacifica’s manufacturing capabilities.

Stir-Point, which was acquired by Wind Point Partners last year, makes soups, sauces, dressings, and fresh salsas for both retail and foodservice customers.

Milt Liu, CEO of Stir-Pacifica, said: “I am delighted to welcome the Sabra salsa business and its employees to Stir-Pacifica. In this new phase, we are confident that together we will be able to accelerate growth and create value for all our stakeholders.

“The combination of these two refrigerated salsa operations is highly complementary and will enable us to better serve our combined customer bases through enhanced R&D and new packaging formats.

“Additionally, the facility in Oceanside is well invested and its workforce has a strong food safety and quality culture. This is an excellent addition to Stir-Pacifica.” 

Joe Lawler, principal with Wind Point Partners, said: “The acquisition of the Sabra salsa business fits squarely with our value creation plan. This investment will accelerate our ability to grow with our customers through more diversified manufacturing capabilities and continued investment in innovation.” 

Sabra CEO Tomer Harpaz added: “We are proud of the people and the products they produce at Oceanside and are pleased the salsa business has been acquired by such a highly regarded organisation.

“At Sabra Dipping Company, our focus will continue to deepen around hummus as consumers increasingly embrace this plant-based, feel-good food for everyday use.”

Last month Sabra announced it will add a 40,000-square-foot expansion to its production facility in Virginia, which will allow it to get its freshly made dips to retail stores more quickly.