Gehl Foods

What Gehl Foods does

Gehl Foods, LLC, headquartered in Germantown, Wisconsin, is a privately held B2B aseptic food and beverage contract manufacturer founded in 1898 and operating under the corporate brand Gehl Food & Beverage. The company runs three U.S. production facilities — Germantown, Wisconsin; Lathrop, California; and Walterboro, South Carolina — and employs more than 700 people across the network. Its core capability is aseptic processing: a manufacturing method that locks in freshness and delivers 12-18 month shelf stability for real dairy and other products without the need for refrigeration, supported by in-house packaging across multiple validated formats and a dedicated R&D and category management function. The product portfolio spans seven categories — RTD beverages, non-dairy beverages, tea, coffee and creamers, sauces and puddings, soups and broths, wine and spirits, and ingredients — with a consumer sub-brand (Gehl's) sold alongside the B2B offering.

Gehl's business model rests on four revenue streams: contract manufacturing for national consumer brands, private label manufacturing for retailers, foodservice supply (including program-based offerings such as nacho programs), and international aseptic manufacturing and distribution for global brands. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed, consistent with bespoke co-packing engagements. Distribution reaches consumers through retailers, convenience stores, concession stands, and health food stores across the United States, with a separate international channel. The company holds multiple food safety and quality certifications that act as a gating requirement for large CPG and foodservice customers. A 2018 acquisition of California Natural Products expanded the West Coast footprint, and a 2023 Focus on Energy award recognized the company's energy efficiency and community sustainability practices. No public filings, funding rounds, or parent company are disclosed; ownership is private and the company is positioned as an independent mid-market co-manufacturer.

Name

Gehl Foods

Legal name

Gehl Foods, LLC

Website

https://gehlfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gehl Foods is a Wisconsin-based B2B aseptic food and beverage contract manufacturer serving national brands, retailers, foodservice operators, and international markets, with three U.S. production facilities and 700-plus employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Germantown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

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: Provides manufacturing services for top consumer brands on a contract basis
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Manufactures products for retailers under private label brands
3. Foodservice Products: Supplies products to foodservice operators for their operations
4. Branded Products (Gehl's): Manufactures and sells Gehl's branded products including dairy-based items

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Gehl Food & Beverage is a U.S.-based contract manufacturer that aseptically processes fresh ingredients — including real dairy — into shelf-stable food and beverage products that remain flavorful, fresh, and safe for 12–18 months without refrigeration. The company manufactures national-brand products, private-label items, and foodservice programs across categories such as RTD beverages, non-dairy beverages, tea/coffee/creamers, sauces & puddings, soups & broths, wine & spirits, and ingredients, and also markets its own Gehl's branded consumer products.

Product overview

Gehl Food & Beverage is a food and beverage contract manufacturing company offering a portfolio of aseptic manufacturing services and products. The company operates as both a contract manufacturer for national brands and private label customers, and as a producer of its own branded products. The core service is aseptic manufacturing, which processes fresh ingredients into shelf-stable products lasting 12-18 months without refrigeration. The product portfolio spans seven main categories: RTD Beverages, Non-Dairy Beverages, Tea/Coffee/Creamers, Sauces/Puddings, Soups/Broths, Wine/Spirits, and Ingredients. Supporting services include Packaging Capabilities, Research & Development, and Quality & Certifications. The company serves multiple segments including Private Label, Foodservice, Contract Manufacturing, and International markets, with manufacturing facilities in California, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gehl's: Branded consumer products division serving retail and foodservice channels

Products and services

• RTD Beverages Ready-to-drink beverages manufactured through aseptic processing for extended shelf stability without refrigeration; produced for national brands, private label customers, and foodservice operators.
• Non-Dairy Beverages Non-dairy beverage products produced through aseptic manufacturing processes, offering plant-based and lactose-free options with extended shelf stability.
• Tea, Coffee, & Creamers Beverage products including tea, coffee, and creamers manufactured with aseptic processing technology for unrefrigerated shelf stability.
• Sauces & Puddings Sauce and pudding products manufactured using aseptic processing for extended shelf life without refrigeration.
• Soups & Broths Soup and broth products produced with aseptic manufacturing for shelf-stable storage without refrigeration.
• Wine & Spirits Wine and spirit products manufactured using aseptic processing technology for shelf-stable storage.
• Ingredients Food and beverage ingredients manufactured for use as inputs in other products, leveraging Gehl's aseptic processing capabilities.
• Aseptic Manufacturing Core contract manufacturing service using advanced aseptic processing that keeps food and beverages — including real dairy products — flavorful, fresh, and safe for 12–18 months without refrigeration. Provided to national brands, private label customers, foodservice operators, and international customers.
• Packaging Capabilities State-of-the-art aseptic packaging service providing the widest range of validated packaging options for food and beverage products, supporting diverse customer packaging requirements.
• Research & Development R&D and category management service to help consumer brands bring products to market faster, including product development and formulation services for aseptic food and beverage products.
• Private Label Manufacturing Contract manufacturing service for retailers looking to launch private brand aseptic food and beverage products under their own store labels.
• Foodservice Manufacturing Manufacturing service for foodservice operators, including proprietary product programs such as nacho programs and other menu-driven offerings.
• Contract Manufacturing for National Brands Contract manufacturing service for national brands and global companies seeking aseptic food and beverage manufacturing solutions across the seven product categories.
• International Manufacturing and Distribution International manufacturing and distribution service for global brands and international distributors seeking U.S.-produced aseptic food and beverage products.
• Gehl's Branded Products Gehl's own branded consumer products sold under the Gehl's brand (gehls.com), distributed through retailers, convenience stores, concession stands, and health food stores across the country.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Focus on EnergyminorOthersWisconsin utilities program partner supporting Gehl's sustainability initiatives through energy efficiency programs. Awarded recognition in June 2023 for the company's 125 years in Germantown using energy efficiency practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TreeHouse Foods: TreeHouse Foods is a major private-label food and beverage manufacturer serving retailers and foodservice. It directly parallels Gehl's contract and private-label manufacturing model across multiple shelf-stable and ambient categories.
• Schreiber Foods: Schreiber Foods is a large dairy and food manufacturer with contract and private-label capabilities, including aseptic and shelf-stable dairy. Closely comparable to Gehl in customer base, dairy focus, and B2B contract model.
• Hearthside Food Solutions: Hearthside is one of the largest contract food manufacturers in North America, producing baked goods, snacks, and packaged foods for major CPG brands. Comparable to Gehl in co-manufacturing scale and breadth of customer brands.
• Ameriqual Foods: Ameriqual is a contract food manufacturer specializing in shelf-stable and aseptically packaged meals and beverages for government and foodservice channels. Directly comparable to Gehl in aseptic contract manufacturing expertise.
• TruFood Manufacturing: TruFood Manufacturing is a private-label and contract manufacturer of nutrition bars, powders, and packaged foods. Comparable to Gehl as a co-manufacturer helping brand owners bring shelf-stable packaged products to retail and foodservice markets.

Broad incumbents

• Dean Foods / Dairy Pure: Dean Foods (and successor Dairy Pure) is a large-scale U.S. dairy processor and private-label milk producer with broad retailer relationships. Comparable to Gehl in shelf-stable and ambient dairy processing for retail and foodservice.
• HP Hood: HP Hood is a long-established dairy and beverage manufacturer producing branded and private-label products. Comparable to Gehl in dairy and beverage manufacturing scale and multi-channel distribution.
• Prairie Farms Dairy: Prairie Farms is a large U.S. dairy cooperative manufacturing fluid milk, creamers, and cultured dairy for retail and foodservice. Comparable to Gehl in real-dairy manufacturing capability and broad customer footprint.
• Saputo: Saputo is one of the largest dairy processors in North America, producing fluid milk, cheese, and shelf-stable dairy ingredients for retail and foodservice. Comparable to Gehl in dairy processing scale and multi-category manufacturing footprint.

Emerging players

• Fairlife (Coca-Cola): Fairlife is a high-growth, ultra-filtered dairy beverage brand with manufacturing partnerships including with Coca-Cola. Comparable to Gehl in premium dairy beverage category and dependence on aseptic/beverage processing infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gehlfoods
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gehl-foods-inc..

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Gehl Foods