Landec Acquires Yucatan Foods
SANTA CLARA, CA - The greatest thing since avocado toast just hit headlines! Landec Corporation’s subsidiary Apio has acquired Yucatan Foods, expanding its operations with two guacamole brands, Yucatan® and Cabo Fresh®. The company’s latest acquisition bolsters its position in the plant-based food category and expands its portfolio of products with even more avo-tastic products sure to encourage more consumers to tap into the plant-based trend.
“We are excited for the team at Yucatan Foods to join Landec Natural Foods as we create a different kind of food company,” said Molly Hemmeter, President and CEO of Landec Corporation. “At Landec Natural Foods, we are re-imagining the way fresh, plant-based foods are grown, prepared, and delivered.”
Rooted in its 27-year-heritage, Yucatan brand guacamole (available in the deli section) offers an authentic Mexican taste that honors the traditions of local people, places, and ingredients, according to a press release. With unique blends of fresh ingredients and bold flavors from regions around the world, Cabo Fresh brand products—made with 100 percent clean ingredients and fresh Haas avocados and sold in the produce section—target plant-forward food consumers.
Following its acquisition of Yucatan Foods, Landec Natural Foods will transform from a packaged, fresh vegetable business to a branded, natural foods business with a plant-based focus. According to a press release, the U.S. guacamole category is approximately $375 million in consumer retail dollars and is projected to continue to grow as current household penetration of guacamole is 21 percent. In addition, Landec’s proprietary research shows that 17 percent of the U.S. population and 23 percent of the Canadian population are plant-forward consumers. As a result, Landec expects Yucatan and Cabo Fresh brands to help significantly grow its business.
“Plant-forward consumers are currently seeking solutions outside of retail stores—in foodservice, direct-to-consumer meal kits, and home preparation. Our growing portfolio of plant-based products enables us to work strategically with our customers to evolve the fresh perimeter of the store by offering solutions that attract the growing population of plant-forward consumers and bring them back in store,” said Hemmeter.
Landec Natural Foods’ current portfolio includes a range of products with 100 percent clean ingredient plant-based brands, like the Eat Smart® nutrient-dense superfood salads, the Sweet Kale Salad, the single-serve Salad Shake-Ups®, O Olive Oil and Vinegar, and Now Planting® pure-plant soups.
“The acquisition of Yucatan Foods provides Landec Natural Foods with on-trend products that consumers are craving. In addition to new guacamole recipes, Yucatan recently launched its Guac-N-Chips product, meeting the needs of the on-the-go consumer, and avocado butter products. The addition of Yucatan Foods not only broadens our plant-based product offering, but enhances the Landec Natural Foods capabilities within sales, customer service, supply chain and innovation to better serve our customers for the long-term,” concluded Hemmeter.
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