Certified B Corp. Tribe 9 Foods has acquired Carla’s Pasta for $26.3 million through a bankruptcy auction in Hartford County, Connecticut, where Carla’s is headquartered. Tribe 9, which owns the gluten-free pasta brand Taste Republic, will take over operations of Carla’s Pasta later this month. Tribe 9 plans to continue to operate the manufacturing facilities in Windsor, Connecticut, preserving production and employees’ jobs.
“Carla’s has such a storied history, providing the most delicious traditional pasta for the restaurant industry,” said Brian Durst, chairman and CEO, Tribe 9 Foods, in a statement. “At the same time, our Taste Republic brand is rapidly building a leading presence across food industry channels with the most delicious gluten-free, grain-free, and vegan pasta offerings. Combined with Carla’s leadership in delicious, value-added traditional pasta, we will be thrilled to provide a complete range of solutions for our customers, including foodservice, industrial, retail, private label, and contract manufacturing.”
More specifics regarding the deal will be shared once the purchase is finalized later this month.
“The pandemic hit us incredibly hard—there’s no doubt about that,” said Sandro Squatrito, vice president of business development for Carla’s Pasta, in a statement. “While it hurt us to file for bankruptcy, we’re grateful that a value-driven organization such as Tribe 9 will be at the helm going forward. This means people keep their jobs and Carla’s legacy lives on.”
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Image: Tribe 9 Foods