Highland Baking Co. has been sold to Europastry
Highland Baking Co
Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, Highland Baking Company (Highland) is a leading family-owned producer of premium frozen breads and other baked goods for the foodservice channel. The company operates two production facilities in Northbrook, Illinois, and in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is recognized for its product quality and the depth of its customer relationships. Highland partners closely with customers throughout the product development process, combining culinary and R&D expertise, flexible manufacturing and consistent product quality to develop differentiated bakery solutions at scale. For more information, please visit www.highlandbaking.com.
The Deal
Highland and its shareholders engaged Lincoln International to identify a committed long-term partner that could preserve the company’s family-oriented culture while supporting its next phase of growth. Highland ultimately chose to partner with Europastry, creating a global bakery powerhouse with complementary capabilities and products.
Our Perspective
Matt Ayanian, who leads coverage of baked goods within Lincoln’s food & beverage group, commented, “The bakery sector continues to benefit from a structural shift toward frozen solutions as foodservice operators and retailers seek greater consistency, reduced labor complexity and improved operational efficiency, while consumers continue to favor premium, differentiated products. Highland sits squarely at the intersection of these trends. We are privileged to have helped bring together two industry-leading bakeries and look forward to an exciting next chapter for the Highland and Europastry teams.”
David Houser, Managing Director and co-head of Lincoln’s food & beverage group, added, “Highland represents Lincoln’s eighth successful bakery transaction in the past three years and underscores the value of our global platform. It was a pleasure to work alongside Stu and the Highland team throughout the process, and we are pleased to see Highland partner with an organization in Europastry that shares its commitment to quality, innovation and people.”
Europastry
Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, Europastry is a family-owned, global leader in the frozen bakery sector. The company employs more than 5,500 people and offers a broad portfolio of premium bakery products to customers in more than 90 countries. Europastry combines a longstanding tradition of artisanal baking with continuous investment in innovation, technology and international expansion. For additional information, please visit www.europastry.com.
Lincoln was a highly engaged and trusted advisor throughout the process, bringing deep sector expertise, longstanding relationships with bakery acquirers around the world and thoughtful strategic guidance from start to finish. Their ability to clearly articulate our differentiated value proposition and run a tailored and competitive process was instrumental in achieving a great outcome for our shareholders, employees and customers. We have found in Europastry the perfect partner to take the next step in our development while preserving our existing leadership team and corporate culture.
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