The Atlanta Cheesecake Company (ACC) has been purchased by Dessert Holdings, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-headquartered holding company formed by San Francisco-based private equity firm Gryphon Investors to house its premium dessert brands platform. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1988, the Kennesaw, Georgia-based acquisition is a manufacturer of high-end frozen cheesecakes for in-store bakeries and frozen food sections at grocery and club food stores throughout North America. The ACC management team, headed by President Meg Sapp, will remain in place and the company will retain its manufacturing facility in Kennesaw.
Dessert Holdings plans to operate ACC alongside The Original Cakerie, which Gryphon acquired in December of 2015, and Lawler’s Desserts, which was acquired in July of 2016. The Original Cakerie is a leading supplier of high-quality frozen desserts for retail and foodservice customers in North America, while Lawler’s Desserts is a manufacturer of gourmet cheesecakes, cakes and pies. Lawler’s does business with nationally known restaurant chains, foodservice distributors and major grocery retailers.
Dennis O’Brien, a partner at Gryphon, commented: “Dessert Holdings is continuing to pursue a strategy of both organic growth and acquisitions, and ACC represents a strong strategic fit for our premium desserts platform. With the cheesecake category growing at approximately four percent annually, driven by premium products, ACC will help Dessert Holdings establish a critical position in this fragmented but exciting market segment.”
“The acquisition is a perfect complement to the other companies and brands in our platform, expanding our product offerings, geographic footprint, and retail customer network,” said Paul Lapadat, chief executive officer of Dessert Holdings. “I look forward to working with the ACC team as we continue to build the preeminent premium dessert company for the retail and foodservice industry across North America.”
The Atlanta Cheesecake Company began as a family business 30 years ago on the Van der Blom family farm in Anniston, Alabama. From its original offering – Granny Boozers Gourmet Cheesecake – the company has grown to offer over 140 dessert varieties that are today produced at a 94,000-square-foot plant in Georgia.
