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Utz Quality Foods Completes Merger With Kitchen Cooked

HANOVER, PA -- Utz Quality Foods LLC has completed its merger with Kitchen Cooked Inc. which includes the Kitchen Cooked snack food brand, direct store delivery operations and its manufacturing operations. Kitchen Cooked Inc., headquartered in Farmington, IL, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of snack foods serving central Illinois and eastern Iowa. Beginning in the 1930s manufacturing potato chips, the company expanded its product line to include Kettle Kurls, Kettle Pops, popcorn, pretzels, to...

January 5, 2020 by Emily Jed

HANOVER, PA -- Utz Quality Foods LLC has completed its merger with Kitchen Cooked Inc. which includes the Kitchen Cooked snack food brand, direct store delivery operations and its manufacturing operations.

Kitchen Cooked Inc., headquartered in Farmington, IL, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of snack foods serving central Illinois and eastern Iowa. Beginning in the 1930s manufacturing potato chips, the company expanded its product line to include Kettle Kurls, Kettle Pops, popcorn, pretzels, tortilla chips, pork rinds and more.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to add this important snack food brand and set of capabilities to our portfolio," said Utz Quality Foods chief executive Dylan Lissette. "Since the 1930s, Kitchen Cooked brings a strong consumer following and unique craft heritage in its core markets. Their distribution and manufacturing capabilities, along with their customer relationships, enhance our ability to grow our Utz brand portfolio further west."

"We are excited to partner with Utz and believe that this is a great way for the two organizations to come together to create an even stronger manufacturing and distribution network throughout Illinois and Eastern Iowa," said Kitchen Cooked vice president Paul Blackhurst. "Utz and Kitchen Cooked have almost a century each of experience in bringing great tasting snacks to our communities, and we believe this transaction only strengthens our ability to do so going forward."

Founded in 1921, Utz Quality Foods LLC. is the largest family‐managed, privately held, salty snack company in the U.S., producing a full line of products including potato chips, pretzels, cheese snacks, corn chips, tortillas, veggie stix/straws, popcorn, onion rings and pork skins. Its brands include Utz, Zapp's, Dirty Potato Chips, Bachman and Snikiddy and are distributed nationally and internationally. Based in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Utz operates thirteen manufacturing facilities located in Pennsylvania, Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Washington and Massachusetts as well as 1,700-plus DSD routes.