US-based Rubicon Bakers has entered the gluten-free market with the acquisition of local peer Lucky Spoon Bakery.

Lucky Spoon manufactures gluten-free products such as cakes, cupcakes and cookies. The company sells into the grocery channel in the US through chains including Kroger, Albertsons and Whole Foods Market.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Rubicon said it wanted to meet “the growing needs of consumers with special dietary requirements and specific dietary preferences”.

"We are excited to enter the gluten-free category and build on our expertise in meeting specific dietary needs with delicious, fresh baked goods," Rubicon CEO Sebastian Siethoff said.

"This is a valued addition to our portfolio and we are thrilled to welcome Lucky Spoon and the incredible team who have built this successful brand."

The gluten-free range will add to Rubicon's portfolio of “clean-label”, nut-free, and vegan baked goods.

Lucky Spoon founder Pam Schulte will join the Rubicon leadership team.

"I founded Lucky Spoon to change the way people think about gluten-free food," said Schulte. "Rubicon Bakers is the perfect partner to grow that promise, and I'm so excited to join Rubicon's family of brands." 

Rubicon, headquartered in Salt Lake City in Utah, was founded in 1993. It has been a B Corp-certified business since 2012, for employing people facing social barriers to employment, including housing insecurity, incarceration and substance use disorders.

The Rubicon portfolio now includes three brands: Rubicon Bakers, Just Desserts, and Lucky Spoon.

In January, Promise Gluten Free said it planned to drum down on the US in 2024 as the Ireland-based bakery business sought to surpass €60m ($65.1m at the time) in sales.