The deal to acquire Botanical Food Company – which generates annual sales of c.70m Australian dollars ($53m) and is posting double-digit growth – was announced a week after McCormick walked away from a deal to buy UK-based Premier Foods.
Gourmet Garden's ‘closer to fresh’ products complement McCormick's existing branded herb portfolio, said McCormick, which plans to drive sales of the Gourmet Garden brand by expanding global distribution and building awareness with increased brand investment.
CEO Lawrence E. Kurzius added: “The Gourmet Garden brand offers a more convenient alternative to consumers who currently buy fresh herbs.”
Founded in Australia in 1999, Gourmet Garden has approximately 200 employees and a manufacturing facility in Queensland, Australia. It currently exports to 15 countries including the US.