Greenwich private equity firm completes purchase of frozen pizza maker

Great Kitchens Food Co., a manufacturer of private label take-and-bake pizzas and flatbreads which is wholly-owned by the Greenwich-based private equity firm Brynwood Partners VIII LP, has completed the acquisition of the Uno Foods division of Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp. from its owner, Newport Global Advisors. The terms of the transaction were not being disclosed.

Founded in 1943, Pizzeria Uno promotes itself as the founder of the birthplace of Chicago-style deep dish pizza. The Uno Foods division was established in 1988 and manufactures all products from its frozen foods facility in Brockton, Massachusetts

“We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Uno Foods into Great Kitchens Food Company,” said Henk Hartong, chairman and CEO of Brynwood Partners. “Great Kitchens employs over 800 people in its Chicago based plants and corporate headquarters in Chicago Heights and Romeoville. We are delighted to add the iconic Pizzeria Uno brand to our frozen portfolio. We welcome the Brockton, Massachusetts, facility to our business and look forward to making investments into that location as we work to expand the reach of the Pizzeria Uno brand.”

The Brynwood Partners portfolio also includes Harvest Hill Beverage Co., Carolina Beverage Group, Hometown Food Co. and Buitoni Food Co. Uno Foods increases the total Brynwood manufacturing network to 16 facilities, more than 4,500 employees and approximately $2.5 billion in annual sales.

Photo courtesy Uno Restaurant Holdings