Stonewall Kitchen Completes Third Acquisition in Two Years, Acquiring the Vermont Village® Brand of Organic Apple Sauce and Apple Cider Vinegars

Press Release



updated: Sep 30, 2019 11:01 EDT


​​Leading specialty food producer Stonewall Kitchen announced today that it has completed its previously-announced acquisition of the Vermont Village brand of Organic Apple Sauces and Apple Cider Vinegar products.

“We’re thrilled to expand our family with this partnership,” said John Stiker, Chief Executive Office of Stonewall Kitchen. “Vermont Village is a leader in various apple and vinegar products, with exceptional offerings like their signature Organic Unsweetened Applesauce, just recently voted the #1 best-tasting applesauce in an independent taste test of 28 different brands by Epicurious. As fellow New Englanders, we’re looking forward to combining the strength of our business with the Vermont Village brand to grow together in product innovation and distribution.”

“This is an exciting new chapter for us at Vermont Village,” said Joseph Sheperd, the owner of Village Cannery of Vermont. “Since our early days way back in the 1970s, we’ve dedicated our work to successfully launching products which nourish our customers, community and environment. We’re ready to accelerate the growth of our brand, and by joining Stonewall Kitchen, we look forward to leveraging our combined product, sales and marketing expertise to do just that.”

Concluded Stiker, “Our acquisition strategy focuses on partnering with premium quality brands that are leaders in their respective categories. We also look for brands that can benefit from our expertise in product development, marketing and omni-channel distribution, and which also help us enter new categories, customers, and channels we may not have been able to enter previously. The addition of the Vermont Village brand is a perfect example of this, and we’re really excited to continue the growth of that brand.”

About Stonewall Kitchen

Stonewall Kitchen is a leading specialty food producer headquartered in York, Maine. Founded in 1991 by partners Jonathan King and Jim Stott, the two established the Stonewall Kitchen brand by selling jams and jellies at local farmers’ markets with a flavorful line of distinctive and high-quality products. Over time, they expanded the brand to include sauces, condiments, crackers and baking mixes, always focusing on innovative product development, beautiful packaging, and exceptional guest service.  Today, Stonewall Kitchen is the premier specialty foods platform in North America, home to a family of premium quality brands including the flagship Stonewall Kitchen brand; the Tillen Farms brand of pickled vegetables and cocktail cherries; the Napa Valley Naturals brand of olive oils, culinary oils, balsamic vinegars and wine vinegars; the Montebello brand of artisan organic pasta imported from Italy; and the Legal Sea Foods brand of restaurant-quality seafood sauces and condiments. The company boasts more than 8,500 wholesale accounts nationwide and internationally; a thriving catalog and online division; a cooking school and café in both York, Maine and Costa Mesa, California; and nine retail Company Stores throughout New England. As winners of 30 prestigious awards from the Specialty Food Association and the recipient of the coveted Outstanding Product Line Honors three times, Stonewall Kitchen is proud to be one of the most awarded specialty food companies in the country.

For more information about Stonewall Kitchen, please visit: www.stonewallkitchen.com

About Vermont Village

With roots tracing back to a local Vermonter food cooperative in the 1970s, the Vermont Village brand has long been at the forefront of the organic food movement. Produced by the Village Cannery of Vermont since 1995, the Vermont Village brand specialized for many years in organic applesauce, and more recently added a line of raw and organic apple cider vinegars. Used for a wide variety of applications from culinary ingredients, to body care, to daily health shots, to cocktails, their unique sipping vinegar combinations have proven to be an exciting line of products that have developed a loyal following. With a mission to make healthy food accessible to everyone, Vermont Village proudly partners with retailers both large and small who carry their products in over 10,000 stores nationwide.

For more information about Vermont Village, please visit: www.vermontvillage.com

For all press inquiries, please contact Margaux Maertens at 207.351.2713 or [email protected]

Source: Stonewall Kitchen, LLC

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