Voortman Cookies

Voortman Cookies Limited
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Food
Genre	Baked goods
Founded	1951; 73 years ago
Founders	William and Harry Voortman
Headquarters	43°22′49.4″N 79°46′33.6″W / 43.380389°N 79.776000°W, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Area served	Worldwide through: • Burlington retail location; • Other retailers; • Online;
Products	Cookies • coconut; • windmill; • turnover; Wafers • vanilla; • key lime; • strawberry; • peanut butter; • maple; • chocolate;
Parent	Second Nature Brands
Website	www.voortman.com

Voortman Cookies Limited is a Canadian company specializing in the production and sale of cookies. Based in Burlington, Ontario, Voortman brand cookies are sold at retail locations across Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, and over 70 other countries worldwide.

History

Voortman Cookies Limited was founded in 1951 by Dutch immigrant brothers William and Harry Voortman. In the 2010s, Voortman Cookies makes over 60 varieties of cookies, including lines of creme wafers, sugar free and seasonal products. The Burlington plant remains the sole production facility, where over 200 full-time workers are employed. Voortman's cookies are distributed throughout North America by a network of over 500 independent distributors. In 2015, Voortman's sales were over $100 million.^[1]

In 2015, a majority stake in Voortman Cookies was acquired by private equity firm Swander Pace Capital.^[2]^[3] At that time, Chief Executive Officer Harry Voortman stepped away from daily management but remains on the board of directors.

In 2017, Voortman went through a complete rebranding, which included removal from its formulae all artificial colours, artificial flavours, and high-fructose corn syrup.^[1]

On December 2, 2019, Hostess Brands announced that it was purchasing Voortman from Swander Pace Capital for approximately US$320 million;^[4] this transaction was completed a month later.^[5] Subsequently, The J.M. Smucker Company acquired Hostess Brands.

In October 2024, The J.M. Smucker Co. agreed to sell Voortman to Second Nature Brands in a $305 million all-cash deal.^[6] In December, it was announced that the purchase had been completed.^[7]

Trans fat ban

In 2003, Voortman Cookies announced that no trans fats would be used in the production of its cookies.^[8] This made Voortman Cookies the first Canadian food company and one of the first in North America to abolish the use of trans-fats in retail food products.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b Klara, Robert (23 March 2017). "How Voortman Plans on Taking a Bigger Bite Out of the Cookie Market". AdWeek. Adweek.com.
^ Yanchus, Kathy (14 October 2015). "Burlington's Voortman Cookies sold to private equity firm". InsideHalton.com.
^ Dunford, Thomas (15 October 2015). "The Morning Leverage: Swander Pace Raids the Cookie Jar". The Wall Street Journal. wsj.com.
^ "Hostess Brands, Inc. Enters into Agreement to Acquire Voortman, a Leading North American Wafer and Cookie Company" (Press release). Kansas City, Missouri: Business Wire, Inc. Business Wire. December 2, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
^ Schroeder, Eric (January 7, 2020). "Hostess completes acquisition of Voortman Cookies". BakingBusiness.com. Retrieved August 1, 2021. Hostess Brands, Inc. on Jan. 3 finalized the acquisition of Voortman Cookies Ltd. from private equity firm Swander Pace Capital in a transaction valued at approximately $320 million in cash.
^ Selasky, Susan (October 22, 2024). "Makers of Sanders candy and Kar's Nuts snacks adds Smucker's cookie brand to portfolio". Detroit Free Press.
^ "Smucker Completes Sale of Voortman to Second Nature Brands". Food Processing. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
^ "Voortman cookies to shed trans fats". CBC News. 25 November 2003. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
^ Segvich, Jeff (14 October 2015). "Swander Pace Capital Acquires Majority Stake in Voortman Cookies". Business Wire (Press release). Swander/Pace Capital.

External links

Official website

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[klara-1] Klara, Robert (23 March 2017). "How Voortman Plans on Taking a Bigger Bite Out of the Cookie Market". AdWeek. Adweek.com.

[2] Yanchus, Kathy (14 October 2015). "Burlington's Voortman Cookies sold to private equity firm". InsideHalton.com.

[3] Dunford, Thomas (15 October 2015). "The Morning Leverage: Swander Pace Raids the Cookie Jar". The Wall Street Journal. wsj.com.

[4] "Hostess Brands, Inc. Enters into Agreement to Acquire Voortman, a Leading North American Wafer and Cookie Company" (Press release). Kansas City, Missouri: Business Wire, Inc. Business Wire. December 2, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2021.

[5] Schroeder, Eric (January 7, 2020). "Hostess completes acquisition of Voortman Cookies". BakingBusiness.com. Retrieved August 1, 2021. Hostess Brands, Inc. on Jan. 3 finalized the acquisition of Voortman Cookies Ltd. from private equity firm Swander Pace Capital in a transaction valued at approximately $320 million in cash.

[6] Selasky, Susan (October 22, 2024). "Makers of Sanders candy and Kar's Nuts snacks adds Smucker's cookie brand to portfolio". Detroit Free Press.

[7] "Smucker Completes Sale of Voortman to Second Nature Brands". Food Processing. Retrieved 2024-12-27.

[8] "Voortman cookies to shed trans fats". CBC News. 25 November 2003. Retrieved 31 July 2018.

[9] Segvich, Jeff (14 October 2015). "Swander Pace Capital Acquires Majority Stake in Voortman Cookies". Business Wire (Press release). Swander/Pace Capital.

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