C.H. Guenther & Son Inc. (CHG) of San Antonio, Texas, USA, has acquired Les Plats du Chef Inc. (PDC), a frozen food products maker based in Canada, from Montreal-headquartered private equity firm Claridge Inc. Terms of the deal, which includes three manufacturing plants in Quebec and Ontario, were not disclosed.
Plats du Chef was founded by Chef Michel Lachapelle and his wife Monique in Montreal during 1981. In the beginning it specialized primarily in producing high-end appetizers such as Escargots en Brioche for local grocers. The business grew and by 1994 the company had evolved into a diversified frozen food manufacturer making signature products including French Onion Soup and Pizzettas, both of which remain top sellers today. In 2002 Plats du Chef was purchased by Claridge Inc., which worked with management to develop and further expand the business.
“We knew when we bought this jewel of a company the people would turn it into a diamond,” said Stephen Bronfman, executive chairman of Claridge.
Today Plats du Chef manufactures a wide range of products distributed to retail, club store and foodservice customers under the Cuisine Adventures brand and private labels. In addition to appetizers, snacks and soups, the portfolio includes frozen dips, breakfast items, side dishes, meals and bakers’ ingredients.
“Plats du Chef has done a great job of creating new products that are on trend with today’s consumer, which is evident based on their success with club stores and retail chains in both the United States and Canada,” said Dale Tremblay, CHG’s president and chief executive officer. “I believe that with the talent and resources within both companies, we can take the business to a whole new level.”
Founded by German immigrant Carl Hilmar Guenther in 1851, C.H. Guenther & Son Inc. produces a wide variety of custom-blended flour blends, baking, biscuit and pancake mixes, gravies, sauces, cakes, pastries, chili and taco seasoning mixes, tortillas and tortilla mixes, Asian seasonings and other products.
