Genesis Capital is pleased to announce that H&F Bread Company (“H&F”) has divested its artisanal, gluten bread business to Engelman’s Baking Co., LLC (“Engelman’s”), a portfolio company of Shoreline Equity Partners. H&F Bread Company is a formulator and manufacturer of gluten, gluten-free and allergy-free bakery products including breads, pastries, cookies, bars and other related products for customers nationally.
“Genesis Capital provided invaluable advice and assistance in completing this important divestiture, which is a strategic shift in focus for H&F”, said Joe Best, CEO of H&F. “Our singular focus now is to invest in, and grow, our gluten-free and allergy-free business, where we already have a substantial presence. We are excited to continue to work with our customers and partners to support their growth and success.”
Fred LeFranc, newly appointed CEO and board member of Engelman’s Bakery, said, “This is the first move in our plan to acquire bakeries and grow across the Southeastern United States. H&F has a tremendous reputation and we are excited to add an artisanal line to the Engelman’s product offerings.”
Joe Best also added, “We’ve followed the Engelman’s story and are thrilled to provide them with H&F’s recipes, formulations and brand to further enhance their artisanal bread offerings.”
Sammy Engelman, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Engelman’s, said, “We are extremely excited to have H&F join the Engelman’s family. H&F’s history and exceptional products complement and further expand our product lines allowing us to reach a broader market of foodservice customers across Atlanta and the Southeast.”
Genesis Capital LLC served as financial advisor to H&F Bread Company while Pascual LLC provided legal counsel.
About H&F Bread Company
H&F Bread, based in Atlanta, GA, is a founder-owned developer and manufacturer of over 300 different preservative-free artisan and gluten-free/allergy-free bread and pastry products for restaurants, hotels, grocers, and caterers nationally. In 2018 H&F added a second facility to focus on gluten free better for you lifestyle brands. In 2019 and 2020 H&F signed several strategic contracts with several national organizations. Today, H&F services more than 10,000 grocery and convenience stores under their client’s labels. H&F’s growth in its co-manufacturing business led to the decision to vacate their gluten bread business.
About Engelman’s Bakery
Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, Engelman’s is a wholesale bakery with a 200 year tradition and offers a complete line of fresh and frozen bread products primarily to the foodservice industry in the Metro Atlanta area with select customers served on a national basis. Engelman’s services approximately 1,000 customers through a 50,000 sq. ft. SQF level II production facility.
About Shoreline Equity Partners
Shoreline is a lower middle market private equity firm based in Jacksonville, FL that is focused on actively partnering with leading management teams within the specialized manufacturing, value-added distribution, and business and industrial services sectors.