Tribe 9 Foods

What Tribe 9 Foods does

Tribe 9 Foods is a specialty food manufacturer and brand owner headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, formed in February 2017 from the merger of three entrepreneurial food companies — RP's Pasta Company, Yumbutter, and Ona. The company operates a dedicated gluten-free production facility producing fresh pasta, filled pasta (ravioli, tortelloni), grain-free pasta, gnocchi, nut and seed butters, cookies, and bars, with form-fill-seal MAP packaging, flexible pouch and jar formats, and an in-house food safety lab for ATP, coliform, mold, pH, water activity, and metal detection / X-ray inspection. Capabilities are qualified under FSSC 22000 (GFSI), Gluten Free, Non-GMO, USDA Organic, and B Corp certifications, with allergen-controlled infrastructure intended for better-for-you and specialty-diet formulations.

The business runs a hybrid model combining owned consumer brands (Taste Republic for gluten-free pasta and RP's Pasta) with B2B contract manufacturing, private label production, and foodservice supply. Customers are growing food brands needing scale and certification support, retail and private label teams developing differentiated better-for-you products, and foodservice operators requiring consistent specialty supply. In April 2021 the company acquired Carla's Pasta for $26.3 million, extending its pasta manufacturing capacity and owned-brand portfolio. Pricing is quote-based, with disclosed minimum order quantities of 10,000 units/SKU for jar pasta and 25,000 units/SKU for pouch pasta.

Revenue is generated from four streams: contract manufacturing services, private label manufacturing, owned brand sales (Taste Republic, RP's Pasta), and foodservice supply, with all streams operating on transaction-fee economics. Distribution is domestic U.S. only, executed through direct enterprise field sales to brand customers, retail private label buyers, and foodservice operators. The company was founded and is led by Brian Durst (founder, chairman & CEO) along with co-founders Stephen Ciurczak, William Ciurczak, and Chris Feuille.

Name

Tribe 9 Foods

Legal name

Tribe 9 Foods LLC

Website

https://tribe9foods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tribe 9 Foods is a Madison, Wisconsin-based specialty food manufacturer and brand owner that operates a dedicated gluten-free production facility producing pasta, nut and seed butters, cookies, and bars for growing food brands, retail private label programs, and foodservice operators, while also owning the Taste Republic and RP's Pasta brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Snack Food Manufacturing (31191)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Cookies & Crackers (2052), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAKABAK

Gluten-Free & Specialty Grain-Based Foods Manufacturing (GF pasta/cereals, ancient grains)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Processing & Manufacturing/Breakfast Cereals, Pasta & Grain-Based Foods Manufacturing

SECONDARYAFAKABAI

Grain-Based Breakfast & Nutrition Bars Manufacturing (cereal bars, granola bars)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Processing & Manufacturing/Breakfast Cereals, Pasta & Grain-Based Foods Manufacturing

Keywords

• Specialty food manufacturing
• Contract food manufacturing
• Private label manufacturing
• Gluten-free pasta production
• Nut butter manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing Services: Tribe 9 Foods generates revenue by providing specialty food manufacturing services to other food brands, including product development, quality systems, and operational scale support for pasta, nut butters, cookies, and bars.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Manufacturing private label products for retailers looking to develop better-for-you, specialty, gluten-free, clean-label, or differentiated products.
3. Owned Food Brands: Revenue from owned and operated food brands including Taste Republic and RP's Pasta, giving the company firsthand experience bringing products to market while generating direct brand sales revenue.
4. Food Service: Supporting foodservice operators with flexible production capabilities, quality systems, and product development experience for specialty products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tribe 9 Foods is a specialty food manufacturer in Madison, Wisconsin that produces gluten-free pasta, fresh pasta, nut and seed butters, cookies, and bars. The company operates as both a brand owner (Taste Republic, RP's Pasta) and a contract manufacturing partner for other food brands, retailers running private label programs, and foodservice operators. It supports the full product lifecycle from development and food safety systems to packaging and operational scale.

Product overview

Tribe 9 Foods is a specialty food manufacturing company that operates both as a brand owner and manufacturing partner. The company owns and operates food brands including Taste Republic (gluten-free pasta) and RP's Pasta, while simultaneously providing contract manufacturing services. Their manufacturing capabilities span three core product categories: Pasta & Gnocchi (gluten-free, grain-free, fresh, filled, IQF), Nut & Seed Butters (specialty diet formulations), and Cookies & Bars (better-for-you formats). The company also supports Private Label programs for retailers and Food Service operations, offering flexible production capabilities across specialty food formats with quality and food safety systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Taste Republic: Gluten-free pasta brand owned and operated by Tribe 9 Foods
• RP's Pasta

Products and services

• Pasta & Gnocchi Manufacturing Contract manufacturing for specialty pasta formats including gluten-free pasta, grain-free pasta, fresh pasta, filled pasta (ravioli, tortelloni), gnocchi, IQF, extruding, mixing, blending, and MAP packaging. Serves growing food brands, retailers, and foodservice operators needing specialty dietary pasta production.
• Nut & Seed Butter Manufacturing Production of nut and seed butters supporting keto, paleo, gluten-free, vegan, organic, and kosher formulations in pouches, jars (10 oz, 16 oz), and bulk packaging. Targets brands seeking specialty-diet nut butter co-manufacturing.
• Cookie & Bar Manufacturing Manufacturing of better-for-you cookies and bars supporting gluten-free, grain-free, keto, paleo, organic, and Non-GMO product formats with flexible production runs and packaging options. For brands in the better-for-you snack category.
• Private Label Programs End-to-end private label manufacturing supporting retailers and brands in developing specialty pasta, gluten-free foods, nut and seed butters, cookies, bars, and better-for-you products under the customer's own label.
• Food Service Production Specialty food production for foodservice operators providing consistent manufacturing, packaging flexibility, quality systems, and products that meet dietary or operational requirements for restaurants and institutional foodservice.
• Taste Republic Owned gluten-free pasta brand offering specialty pasta products to retail and foodservice markets.
• RP's Pasta Owned fresh pasta brand providing fresh and specialty pasta products to retail and foodservice markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• GFSI-recognized certification, FSSC 22000, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Organic certifications maintained annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Madison Gas and Electric (MGE)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Tribe 9 Foods partnered with MGE to purchase energy output from the O'Brien Solar Fields in Fitchburg, Dane County's largest solar farm at $31.7 million. This partnership demonstrates the company's commitment to renewable energy and sustainability in operations.
• Feeding America Eastern WisconsinminorOthersTribe 9 Foods supports this leading hunger-relief organization operating food banks in Milwaukee and the Fox Valley, providing healthy and nutritious food to those facing hunger.
• REAP Food GroupminorOthersREAP's mission is to transform communities, economies and lives through the power of good food, with a vision of a thriving local food system where all people have access to good food, grown well.
• Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern WisconsinminorOthersSouthwestern Wisconsin's largest hunger-relief charity, meeting nearly one million requests for help each year across 16 counties through food distribution to partner agencies.
• Primeros PasosminorOthersA non-profit organization offering quality and affordable health care and health education to rural, underserved communities of the Palajunoj Valley of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• B&G Foods: B&G Foods is a packaged food holding company with a portfolio of specialty and natural brands. Comparable to Tribe 9 in better-for-you positioning and as a potential acquirer of small specialty brands like Taste Republic or RP's Pasta.
• Post Holdings: Post Holdings owns multiple food platforms including a private-label and co-manufacturing business across pasta, cereal, and refrigerated foods. Relevant as a broad incumbent in private label pasta and foodservice — the same buyer RFPs Tribe 9 targets.
• Barilla: Barilla is the world's largest pasta manufacturer with a growing gluten-free line and private-label capabilities. Competes with Tribe 9's owned pasta brands and has the scale and shelf presence to crowd out smaller specialty entrants in conventional retail.
• TreeHouse Foods: TreeHouse Foods is a large private-label food manufacturer serving grocery, foodservice, and co-manufacturing customers across dozens of categories. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same private-label and co-manufacturing RFPs that Tribe 9 pursues, with meaningfully greater scale.
• Conagra Brands: Conagra is a major packaged food company with significant private label, foodservice, and specialty pasta capabilities. Competes with Tribe 9 for private label pasta programs and foodservice contracts, with materially greater scale and buyer relationships.
• Hain Celestial Group: Hain Celestial owns a portfolio of natural, organic, and better-for-you food brands (including pasta and snacks) with in-house manufacturing. Overlaps with Tribe 9 on the natural products channel, dietary certifications, and specialty pasta category.

Direct peers

• SunOpta: SunOpta is a plant-based and specialty food manufacturer that operates both owned consumer brands and a co-manufacturing platform with a heavy organic, non-GMO, and allergen-controlled focus. Most directly comparable to Tribe 9's hybrid model, dietary certifications stack, and specialty processing capabilities.
• Banza: Banza is a fast-growing chickpea-based pasta and better-for-you brand sold nationally in conventional and natural retail. Directly comparable to Taste Republic and RP's Pasta on category (specialty pasta), retail channel, and better-for-you positioning.
• Once Again Nut Butter: Once Again Nut Butter is a specialty nut butter manufacturer offering organic, fair trade, and clean-label SKUs in jars and pouches with co-manufacturing services. Comparable to Tribe 9's nut/seed butter manufacturing capability, dietary certifications (Non-GMO, Organic), and packaging flexibility.
• Jovial Foods: Jovial Foods is a gluten-free pasta and baked goods brand with in-house manufacturing capabilities and a strong Italian sourcing story. Directly comparable to Tribe 9's Taste Republic pasta line on product category, consumer positioning, and gluten-free specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Tribe 9 Foods