Majority Stake in Juanita’s Foods Acquired by Private-Equity Firm
Private-equity firm Apex Capital has acquired a majority stake in Juanita’s Foods, a producer of authentic Mexican foods in the U.S., according to a release shared with Food Processing.
The De la Torre family, who founded the company nearly 80 years ago, will continue to be involved in the business and will retain a significant ownership stake in it. Juanita’s will look for support for its continued growth from Apex, as well as stability for its employees, customers and heritage. The company will continue to focus on operational excellence, cultural authenticity and meaningful community engagement, the release noted.
Apex Capital’s affiliation with Grupo Mariposa, a food and beverage conglomerate with more than 140 years of history and operations in 16 countries, gives the firm previous experience nurturing heritage Hispanic brands as it enters this new deal with Juanita’s. The partnership fits the firm’s strategy to invest in category-defining consumer businesses and scaling them through its proprietary operational framework.
Meanwhile, on the Juanita’s side, Aron De la Torre, CEO of Juanita’s Foods, noted that the “partnership strengthens our commitment to expanding Juanita’s into new markets and categories,” as it adds expertise and resources needed to drive long-term value and innovation. Greif & Co., which shared the release with Food Processing, acted as financial advisor to Juanita’s Foods.
