Hometown Food Company

What Hometown Food Company does

Hometown Food Company is a Chicago-based, privately held branded consumer packaged goods (CPG) food company that produces and markets a portfolio of nine iconic American baking and shelf-stable food brands. Founded in 2018 by private equity sponsor Brynwood Partners through the $375 million carve-out acquisition of the Pillsbury Shelf-Stable Baking Business and Hungry Jack brand from The J.M. Smucker Company, the company has grown through a series of targeted acquisitions to include Arrowhead Mills and SunSpire (2019), De Wafelbakkers (2021), Birch Benders (2023), and Chef Boyardee (2025, $600 million from Conagra Brands). Its portfolio centers on exclusive U.S. rights to Pillsbury's shelf-stable baking products and includes Funfetti, White Lily, Martha White, Arrowhead Mills, De Wafelbakkers, and Chef Boyardee, serving consumer households, health-conscious consumers seeking better-for-you options, and food and beverage brands requiring contract manufacturing.

The company operates a multi-brand platform across traditional baking (cake mixes, frostings, flour, pancake mixes, syrups), better-for-you products (Birch Benders keto/paleo/organic, Arrowhead Mills organic), and shelf-stable Italian-style meals (Chef Boyardee). Manufacturing infrastructure includes a 640,000 square-foot facility in Toledo, Ohio with 12 production lines supporting bag-in-box, pouch, frosting, and flour capabilities, an 820,000 square-foot facility in Milton, Pennsylvania acquired with Chef Boyardee, and additional production across four U.S. regions. Products are distributed nationwide through grocery retailers, mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs, convenience stores, foodservice operators, distributors, wholesalers, and online channels, with named relationships at Walmart, Target, Kroger, H-E-B, and Meijer.

Hometown Food Company generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of branded CPG products via retail channels, supplemented by contract manufacturing services from its Toledo facility for food and beverage brands. Following the Chef Boyardee acquisition, annual revenue exceeds $1.6 billion. The company markets through digital advertising (Pinterest, LoopMe), PR, and exclusive retail partnerships, and has recently expanded through partnerships with Premier Protein (high-protein muffin mixes) and Rich Products (Funfetti bakery layers), as well as limited-edition celebrity collaborations. Tom Polke serves as President and CEO. The company operates under a Brynwood Partners ownership structure via Brynwood Partners VII L.P. and VIII L.P.

Name

Hometown Food Company

Legal name

Hometown Food Company

Website

https://hometownfoodcompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Hometown Food Company is a Chicago-based private CPG company producing and marketing a portfolio of nine iconic American baking and shelf-stable food brands, including Pillsbury, Funfetti, Birch Benders, and Chef Boyardee, serving U.S. consumer households through grocery, mass, and club retailers with over $1.6 billion in annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shelf-Stable Baking Mixes and Branded Packaged Foods

NAICS

Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour (311824), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118), Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Grain-Based Mixes & Doughs Manufacturing (pancake/waffle mixes, baking mixes, dough bases) (AFAKABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Baking Ingredients & Desserts (Flour, Mixes, Frosting, Gelatin) (CRADAAAD), Bakery Fillings, Icings & Decorations Manufacturing (AFAKAAAH), Refrigerated & Frozen Doughs and Batters Manufacturing (AFAKACAM)

Keywords

• Baking mixes
• Pancake mixes
• Shelf-stable baking
• Consumer packaged goods
• Contract manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consumer packaged goods sales: Primary revenue from selling branded baking mixes, pancake mixes, frostings, and prepared food products through retail channels including grocery stores, mass merchandisers, and warehouse clubs.
2. Contract manufacturing: Hometown Food Company offers contract manufacturing solutions from their 640,000 sq. ft. facility in Toledo, Ohio with 12 production lines including Bag in Box, Pouch, Frosting and Flour capabilities. They serve clients needing small regional volumes or large scale national production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hometown Food Company manufactures and markets a portfolio of branded shelf-stable baking mixes, frostings, pancake mixes, and prepared food products under iconic American brands (Pillsbury, Funfetti, White Lily, Martha White, Hungry Jack, Arrowhead Mills, Birch Benders, De Wafelbakkers, Chef Boyardee). The company also operates a contract manufacturing business from its Toledo, Ohio facility, producing bag-in-box, pouch, frosting, and flour products for other food and beverage brands.

Product overview

Hometown Food Company operates as a portfolio company of Brynwood Partners holding exclusive U.S. rights to iconic baking brands. The product portfolio is organized as a multi-brand platform centered around the Pillsbury shelf-stable baking business (the core brand), with Funfetti serving as the celebratory sub-brand featuring sprinkle-infused products. The company has expanded through strategic acquisitions: Birch Benders (better-for-you pancake mixes), Chef Boyardee (pasta products, the largest acquisition), De Wafelbakkers (frozen pancakes), and Arrowhead Mills/SunSpire (organic products). Supporting brands include White Lily Flour, Martha White, and Hungry Jack pancake mixes and syrups. Manufacturing footprint includes facilities in Toledo, Ohio (640,000 sq ft, 12 production lines) and Milton, PA (820,000 sq ft), with distribution through Grocery, Mass Merchandisers, Warehouse Clubs, Convenience, Foodservice, and Distributors/Wholesalers channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pillsbury Baking: Classic American baking brand offering cake mixes, frostings, flour, bread mixes, and seasonal products.
• Funfetti
• White Lily
• Martha White
• Hungry Jack
• Arrowhead Mills
• Birch Benders
• De Wafelbakkers
• Chef Boyardee

Products and services

• Pillsbury Baking Family-friendly baking brand offering colorful cakes, classic brownies, flour, bread, and frostings, plus sugar-free and gluten-free baking mixes. Hometown Food holds exclusive U.S. rights to Pillsbury's shelf-stable baking products.
• Funfetti Celebratory baking product line featuring colorful sprinkles and bold-colored cake mixes, frostings, cookie mixes, and pancake mixes that transform any occasion into a celebration.
• White Lily Flour Premium flour products trusted since 1883 for Southern cooking and baking, including specialty flours for biscuits, cakes, and other applications.
• Martha White Baking mixes influenced by down-home Southern cooking traditions, including flour, cornmeal, and muffin/cake mixes.
• Hungry Jack Pancake mixes and syrups, including the first microwavable syrup bottle with easy-pour cap, positioned for family weekend breakfast occasions.
• Arrowhead Mills Organic baking and grain products brand trusted since 1960, offering naturally enriched flours, mixes, and pantry staples.
• Birch Benders Just-add-water pancake and waffle mixes featuring keto, paleo, and organic product options targeting better-for-you consumers.
• De Wafelbakkers Frozen pancake products offering refrigerated convenience formats for retail and foodservice customers.
• Chef Boyardee Pasta and Italian-style canned food products, including canned pasta meals distributed nationwide across grocery and mass channels.
• Contract Manufacturing Services Co-manufacturing / contract manufacturing services for food and beverage brands using Bag in Box, Pouch, Frosting, and Flour production formats, serving small regional volumes up to large national production runs.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Premier Protein (Post Holdings)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026Premier Protein partnered with Hometown Food Company to launch high-protein muffin mixes and microwavable muffin cups under the Pillsbury brand. Products include Blueberry and Chocolate Chip flavors with 13-15 grams of protein per serving, available at Walmart and nationwide retailers.
• Conagra BrandscoreOthers · 1 May 2025Hometown Food Company agreed to acquire the Chef Boyardee brand from Conagra Brands for $600 million, including the Milton, PA manufacturing facility and approximately 500 employees.
• Rich Products CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2025Rich Products launched a new Funfetti 5-inch Uniced Round Cake Layer in partnership with the Funfetti brand. The fully baked cake features colorful candy bits and birthday cake flavor with a 365-day frozen shelf life, designed for in-store bakeries.
• CurologyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 September 2024Funfetti partnered with Curology for a lip balm product collaboration celebrating Curology's 10th anniversary.
• Sovos BrandscoreOthers · 9 January 2023Hometown Food Company acquired Birch Benders from Sovos Brands, reinforcing the company's commitment to healthier food options including keto, paleo, and organic products.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lancaster Colony:
• General Mills: General Mills owns Betty Crocker cake mixes and Pillsbury's refrigerated dough business, directly competing with Hometown's Pillsbury shelf-stable mixes and Funfetti in the same grocery aisles. It is the largest direct competitor in branded baking mixes and baking-adjacent categories.
• Conagra Brands: Conagra sold the Chef Boyardee brand to Hometown in 2025 and continues to operate Marie Callender's, Healthy Choice, and other shelf-stable food brands. It is a comparable diversified CPG platform with overlapping retail channels and frozen/shelf-stable food exposure.
• The J.M. Smucker Company: Smucker sold the Pillsbury shelf-stable baking business and Hungry Jack to Hometown in 2018 and remains the licensor for the Pillsbury name in shelf-stable baking. Comparable as a branded CPG company with overlapping categories (flour, baking, snacks) and as the counterparty to Hometown's most important IP arrangement.
• Post Holdings: Post owns Premier Protein (Hometown's muffin-mix partner), Honey Bunches of Oats, and other branded cereal/baking-adjacent foods. Comparable as a diversified branded CPG platform and direct partner to Hometown on the Premier Protein muffin launches.
• McCormick & Company: McCormick is the largest spice and flavorings company with products used in the same baking applications as Hometown's mixes and frostings. Comparable distribution through grocery and mass channels and similar branded CPG economics.

Direct peers

• TreeHouse Foods: TreeHouse is a leading private-label food manufacturer with comparable contract manufacturing capabilities and exposure to baking, snacks, and shelf-stable categories. It competes directly with Hometown's Toledo contract manufacturing business for co-manufacturing customers.
• B&G Foods: B&G Foods owns a large portfolio of acquired heritage CPG brands (Ortega, Green Giant, Crisco, Cream of Wheat) and competes for the same shelf-stable baking and pantry food occasions as Hometown's Pillsbury, White Lily, and Martha White brands. Highly comparable multi-brand CPG roll-up model.

Emerging players

• Sovos Brands: Sovos previously owned Birch Benders (sold to Hometown in 2022) and operates the Rao's brand. Comparable as a multi-brand CPG operator that divested a baking-adjacent asset to Hometown; similar focus on premium and better-for-you branded foods.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hometown Food Company