The Gellert Global Group has struck a deal to buy US cheese maker Heartisan Foods, the owner of the Red Apple brand.
The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Barron, Wisconsin, Heartisan Foods is a manufacturer and distributor of branded and private-label cheese products.
The Gellert Global Group owns Atalanta Corporation, a food importer with a global reach in cheese and other products such as charcuterie, deli meats, and seafood.
It imports and distributes cheeses, including brands sourced from Europe, and operates a cheese conversion facility in the US.
The company said Heartisan brings a “strong brand portfolio”, along with “category-leading conversion and packaging capabilities”. The deal leaves The Gellert Global Group “well-positioned to expand its footprint in both branded and private label channels”, it added.
Heartisan was established in 2021 by Ronin Equity Partners and Landon Capital Partners through the merger of three cheese businesses – Red Apple Cheese, Barron County Cheese, and Cheese Brothers.
Two years later, the company acquired US cheese maker North Country Packaging.
Heartisan offers more than 70 cheese products, ranging from bricks and slices to snack forms such as curds, shreds, and spreads.
Its assortment features a variety of flavours – from tomato-sweet basil to ghost pepper – and includes smoked and kosher cheeses.
Red Apple Cheese is available at retailers including Walmart, Costco and Albertsons.
Cheese Brothers, Heartisan’s online brand and distributor, was carved out and sold separately for an undisclosed amount, immediately before the deal.
Heartisan board chairman Pratap Mukharji said: “The benefits we’ll be able to achieve with a diversified food group like Gellert Global’s Atalanta make this sale the natural next step in our evolution.”
GGG board chairman George Gellert added: “This acquisition of Red Apple Cheese brand, Naturally Good Kosher brand and Heartisan Foods represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy.
“Heartisan’s innovative approach to specialty cheese, combined with our extensive import and distribution network, creates an unparalleled opportunity to meet the growing consumer demand for premium cheese products.”
