January 12, 2018
Woodbridge International, a global mergers and acquisitions firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of its client, Atlanta Cheesecake Company (ACC), by Dessert Holdings, a holding company formed by private equity firm Gryphon Investors.
Atlanta Cheesecake Company began as a family business in 1988 on the Van der Blom family farm in Anniston, Alabama. Now based in Kennesaw, Georgia, ACC offers over 140 dessert varieties and delivers products to well-known grocery retailers in North America. Atlanta Cheesecake Company is committed to the highest standards in food quality and safety and uses the finest all-natural ingredients.
Dessert Holdings, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is an umbrella company that consists of several premium dessert companies and brands: The Original Cakerie, Lawler’s Desserts and Atlanta Cheesecake Company. The Original Cakerie, founded in 1979, is a leading manufacturer of high-quality frozen desserts for retail and foodservice customers across Canada and the U.S. Lawler’s Desserts, a manufacturer of gourmet cheesecakes, layer cakes, pies and other premium desserts, is based in Humble, Texas.
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management.
In the announcement of the transaction by Gryphon Investors, Meg Sapp, President of ACC, said, “We are confident that the team at Dessert Holdings shares our values and our commitment to delivering innovative desserts of the highest quality, and we look forward to a partnership that will bring Atlanta Cheesecake Company products to even more people.”