RIND SNACKS ACQUIRES SMALL BATCH ORGANICS, FUELING GROWTH AND INNOVATION IN SUSTAINABLE SNACKING

The move brings strategic manufacturing and fulfillment in-house, enhancing R&D, operational efficiency and environmental impact

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, sustainable snack brand RIND® Snacks announces its acquisition of Small Batch Organics, a Vermont-based manufacturer of award-winning granola products. The acquisition marks a major milestone in RIND's evolution from a leading dried fruit brand into a vertically integrated healthy snack platform. At a time when many consumer packaged brands have scaled back in reaction to shifting market dynamics, RIND is making bold moves to proactively strengthen its business by taking ownership of manufacturing and fulfillment while significantly expanding its product range and R&D capabilities to ensure long-term success.

Small Batch is a natural extension of RIND's mission to bring wholesome and sustainable foods?that maximize nutrition and minimize waste?to more customers. The company's product innovation and manufacturing expertise, combined with RIND's strength in sales, distribution, and brand affinity, creates a dynamic snacking business that spans approximately 12,000 retail stores and is slated to generate over $25 million in retail sales by year's end.

"Today marks the start of a fruitful new chapter in RIND's journey as a leading, better-for-you snack brand," says founder and CEO, Matt Weiss. "The addition of Small Batch and its dedicated team enhances our ability to craft premium, healthy and innovative snacks for more customers in a flexible and highly scalable manner," he continued.

The acquisition, the first for the six-year-old brand, will drive significant margin growth and operating efficiencies through vertical integration. Directly managing more of its supply chain will also meaningfully reduce environmental impact ? a core focus for the brand since its founding in 2018.

RIND has emerged as a sustainable snack leader through its use of upcycled, whole fruit and diverts over one million pounds of food waste from landfills annually. Small Batch shares the same commitment to sustainability through its use of 100% solar energy and renewable packaging solutions.

"RIND and Small Batch share a special kinship that makes this outcome such a natural fit. Our products and values are highly complementary, and we're thrilled to be joining forces with RIND on its mission to produce delicious and sustainable snacks for people and planet," said Small Batch founder Lindsay Martin, who now oversees production and new product development for the combined business.

Small Batch's products will be rebranded as RIND over the course of the year, including the release of several collaborative innovations. The first joint product, RIND Cherry Cashew Crunch, features upcycled cherries, spiced cashews and vanilla granola clusters. The snack, made entirely in the U.S., is the first in RIND's new fruit, nut & granola REMIX line and hits Sam's Club stores nationwide this month and select Walmart, Wegman's and Hudson News locations this spring as well as Amazon, Misfits and Thrive Markets.

About RIND Snacks: RIND_® makes sustainable, fruit-forward snacks that maximize nutrition and minimize waste. Launched in 2018, RIND is the result of a multigenerational family focus on delicious, all-natural, whole foods. RIND's upcycled fruit snacks and mixes are naturally packed with fiber and vitamins and help eliminate more than one million pounds of food waste annually. RIND's_® products are Upcycled certified, non-GMO Verified, Kosher, and naturally vegan and gluten free. Peel back more at www.rindsnacks.com and @rindsnacks on social.

SOURCE RIND Snacks