Corporate Profiles - 2024 - 66

COMPANY overview
FGF Brands
Fine-tuning product portfolio after
major acquisition
T
oronto-based FGF Brands has worked to
fine-tune its line of baked foods brands while
also taking steps to innovate and expand during
the past year.
The moves follow FGF's acquisition in 2021 of
the Weston Foods fresh and frozen bakery businesses
of George Weston Ltd. for $1.2 billion. Established
in the early 2000s, FGF Brands experienced
rapid growth before the Weston acquisition
as a flatbread baker, including naan sold under the
Stonefire brand. The Weston acquisition broadened
FGF's portfolio considerably. Weston Foods fresh
and frozen bakery products are sold to retail and
foodservice customers with packaged fresh bread
and rolls as well as frozen and artisan bread and
time of the groundbreaking, the city of Pickering
said the first phase of development would include
construction of three manufacturing plants and a
distribution center, covering a total of one million
square feet.
More recently, FGF shared details of changes
it has made at its ACE Bakery business. FGF was
inspired to elevate the quality of ACE products by
members of the team whose roots dated back to
the early years when the business was independent,
the company said. FGF said it refocused the baker
of artisan bread, restoring ACE as a dependable
supplier of quality artisan table bread, baguettes,
free-form loaves and sandwich carriers.
The company launched a line of ACE buns for the
North American foodservice
market. The bun line
includes six varieties - a
mix of classic and on-trend
products, including 4- and
4.5-inch classic burger
buns, a classic slider bun,
4-inch black and white
sesame burger bun, 4-inch
brioche bun and 4-inch potato
bun.
The company also said
Chief executive officers - Ojus, left, and Tejus Ajmera
rolls, cakes, donuts, pies and alternatives in Canada
and the United States. In addition to private label
products, brands acquired by FGF from Weston
include Wonder, Ace Bakery, Country Harvest,
D'Italiano, Casa Mendosa, Dave's Killer Bread and
Gadoua.
Late in 2023, Rise Baking Co., a portfolio company
of Olympic Partners, acquired two pie facilities
from Wonder Brands Holdings Inc. and FGF.
The facilities, which are located in Kent, Wash.,
and Brampton, Ont., bake and market pies for the
North American retail channel.
Also in 2023, FGF, which had acquired 151
acres of land in Pickering, Ont., began construction
on a food manufacturing campus called
Wonderbrands Innovation Business Park. At the
66 \ October 2024
ACE was working to make
its products " more resilient. "
While its artisan line
historically has a one-day shelf life in foodservice,
FGF said the buns have been reformulated to have
a three-day shelf life. The company is working to
roll out the " same approach for all of its foodservice
products, " FGF said.
The move is part of an ACE ambition to grow
its artisan business both in retail and foodservice.
The company identified three facets to this strategy:
* Focusing on the quality and introducing true
artisan
* Improving resiliency and ensuring it has the
right portfolio
* Through continuous improvement
" FGF is focused on technology, " the company
said. " We are passionate bakers who are powered
by technology. " CP
FGF BRANDS AND CITY OF PICKERING
Milling & Baking News * Food Business News * Baking & Snack * Meat+Poultry * Dairy Processing * Pet Food Processing
Corporate Profiles
WONDERBRANDS
INNOVATION BUSINESS PARK
FGF BRANDS acquired 151 acres of land in
Pickering, Ont., and began construction work on
a food manufacturing campus called Wonderbrands
Innovation Business Park.
There will be three manufacturing plants and a
distribution center, covering a total of one million
square feet.
BRANDS:

Corporate Profiles - 2024

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