TreeHouse Foods has signed a definitive agreement to acquire certain subsidiaries that operate the private brand tea business of Harris Freeman & Co. (Harris Tea), a private brand tea manufacturer in the U.S., for approximately $205m.
“The acquisition of Harris Tea strengthens our competitive positioning in the fast-growing tea category and adds unique blending and sourcing capabilities that customers desire, building upon TreeHouse Foods’ category leadership, enhancing our position through additional depth and scale,” said Steve Oakland, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President.
“This acquisition aligns with our long-term strategy to build capabilities in our higher-growth, higher-margin categories,” he added.
The acquisition includes Harris Tea’s manufacturing facilities in Moorestown, NJ and Marietta, GA, and TreeHouse Foods will welcome approximately 300 Harris Tea team members.
“The tea category presents significant opportunity for future growth,” said Kevin Shah, Co-CEO of Harris Freeman. “It was clear that TreeHouse Foods would provide a great fit for our next chapter of growth, given its depth of capabilities, scale, industry expertise, and customer relationships, and I am confident we will maintain our upward trajectory as a result of this transaction.”