Barilla has agreed to buy Back to Nature from B&G Foods, as it looks to strengthen its position in the North American bakery market. 

In November, B&G Foods announced that it was seeking to sell the brand, which it said was “no longer core to the company’s overall business or long-term strategy”. 

Back to Nature offers a range of snacks, granolas and trail mixes, and Barilla says that the purchase supports its aim of building a strong multi-brand bakery platform in the US.

Chairman Guido Barilla commented: “At Barilla, we aspire to build a long-term and significant presence in the US baking industry, and this operation reminds me of when we first started our journey with pasta over 25 years ago and we are now the market leader. The acquisition of Back to Nature is a key step for this exciting journey.

“We focus all our business activities and products on health and indulgence and hence Back to Nature was a natural choice. We are excited to see how our efforts will evolve in the future.” 

Casey Keller, president and CEO of B&G Foods, added: “The divestiture will…allow us to reduce long-term debt, while providing Barilla America with a great brand”.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.