Quick Take
Gooder Foods, the maker of Goodles, agreed to be purchased by Barilla, the world's largest pasta producer, the companies announced Thursday.
A Santa Cruz-based macaroni and cheese company caught the attention of an international pasta giant. Gooder Foods, the maker of Goodles, agreed to be purchased by Barilla, the company announced Thursday.
CEO Jen Zeszut co-founded Gooder Foods in 2020 with former Kraft Macaroni & Cheese executive Paul Earle, alongside founding partners Deb Luster, the former president of Annie’s Homegrown, and “Wonder Woman” actor Gal Gadot (Gadot and Luster are no longer affiliated with the brand). It launched four flavors of Goodles in 2021, featuring a noodle boosted with fiber, protein and other nutrients, along with colorful marketing, with the aim of capturing the attention of health-conscious customers.
Since then, it has expanded its product line and is distributed throughout the U.S. in major retailers like Target and Whole Foods Market.
The acquisition will help Goodles to reach more customers, Zeszut said in a media release. “We chose the Barilla Group because they can help us innovate and grow internationally while letting us make ‘gooder’ decisions and maintain our quality,” she said. “The Barilla Group loves us just the way we are, from our barely-running dune buggy to our over-flowing-with-joy HQ office in Santa Cruz! We’re not changing a thing.”
Barilla, founded 149 years ago in Italy, is the largest pasta producer in the world and remains family-owned.
“We had been following GOODLES closely for some time and became increasingly impressed by the strength of the brand, the quality of its products, and the momentum behind its growth,” said Guido Barilla, chairman of the Barilla Group. “As we got to know the management team, we were equally impressed by the strength of the organization, its unity, and its forward-looking mindset.”
When the merger closes, Goodles’ operations will remain unchanged. It will continue to be headquartered in Santa Cruz and operate independently as a standalone brand. The entire team will be retained, and Zeszut will continue to lead.
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