McCain Foods, a major manufacturer and international marketer of frozen potato specialties and appetizers, has entered into a strategic partnership with Strong Roots, a Dublin, Ireland-based producer of a wide range of plant-based frozen food products including mixed root vegetable fries, sweet potato fries, cauliflower hash browns, beetroot wedges, spinach bites, veg fingers and burgers.
The companies will work together to leverage complementary strengths in furthering Strong Roots’ rapid growth and further its mission to “fix the freezer aisle” and provide plant-based, environmentally responsible food choices to consumers. Strong Roots will continue to operate in an independent capacity, while utilizing
Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada-headquartered McCain Foods’ global reach to enlarge its footprint in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States, and to enter into new retail markets. The partnership will also pave the way for expansion into the foodservice sector through McCain’s extensive out-of-home network.
McCain Foods will gain an expanded product portfolio that reaches out to the rising number of consumers looking for healthy, natural and simple meals that are tasty and include real fruits and vegetables. Strong Roots is focused on creating products that are sustainably farmed, shipped and sold, and was the first plant-based food business in Ireland awarded a B Corp Certificate in 2020.
“As food producers, our role is to be better, food can be better, and our duty is to lead the betterment of ingredients, sourcing, packaging, process and taste at the same time as working with our partners to achieve this,” said Strong Roots CEO Samuel Dennigan, who founded the enterprise in 2015. “Working in partnership with McCain means that we are able to grow our brand and the values it stands for, while providing us with the resources and capabilities we need to see change through globally and impactfully.”
Max Koeune, president and chief executive officer of McCain Foods, stated: “Since the McCain family founded the company in 1957, our entrepreneurial roots and passionate focus on creating the best tasting food has led to us being at the center of mealtimes for generations. That’s why we’re so excited to be partnering with Strong Roots. We’re looking forward to working with Samuel and the team to help bring a healthy range into more homes across the world.”
Howard Snape, regional president of McCain GB & Ireland, added: “As a family-run business, we take a long-term approach to everything we do, whether that’s focusing on making our products in a sustainable way to support the planet, or ensuring our food continues to meet constantly changing consumer needs. Strong Roots is a company that not only focuses strongly on sustainability but is also doing incredible work to grow the range of healthy frozen foods available when consumers are looking for it most.”
For McCain, the announcement complements a series of deals in recent years aimed at meeting rising global demand for vegetarian, flexitarian and vegan products. Examples include its investment in The Simple Root, a plant-based food producer offering dairy alternative products; SIMULATE, a plant-based chicken nugget alternative; and GoodLeaf Farms, an indoor vertical farming company that grows nutritious and sustainable leafy greens.
In connection with the transaction, Goode Partners LLC, a New York-based consumer private equity fund, which led the Series A investment in Strong Roots, is leaving the board of directors at Strong Roots and selling its shareholding, marking a successful exit for the investors.
