Hudson River Foods, a family of organic, non-GMO, kosher, vegan and allergy-free food and beverages, has acquired Boston-based gourmet gift basket company Dancing Deer Baking Co. and Effingham, IL-based Hodgson Mill, which produces flours, cereals, baking ingredients and baking mixes. Both companies’ operations have moved to Hudson River Foods’ headquarters in the Hudson River Valley, just south of Albany, NY.
“With these strategic acquisitions, Hudson River Foods continues to reinforce its leadership position in every aspect of the non-gmo, kosher and organic food and beverage market,” said Donna Ratner, chief operating officer of Hudson River Foods. “We’ve come a long way since we first started selling green drinks in 2005 and made our first acquisition in 2008. We’re absolutely thrilled to bring these cutting-edge brands into the fold.”
Dancing Deer offers gourmet cookie and brownie gift baskets and homemade-style bakery items. Founded in 1994 in a former pizza parlor in West Roxbury, MA, DD made a name for itself selling baked-from-scratch gift baskets through grocery, direct-to-consumer, reseller and corporate channels. The company, which was started by a baker, a business strategist and an artist who have since moved on, offers dedicated allergen-free options in their lines.
Hodgson Mill, a family-owned company that has grown into a national leader in whole grain products and high-quality gluten-free flours, cereals, baking mixes, quinoa and rice, uses a premium milling process to ensure all of its grains’ nutritious germ, bran and natural oils are fully preserved. The products are sold in BPA-free packaging.
The companies have transitioned to Hudson River Foods’ environmentally conscious 100,000-square-foot manufacturing plant outfitted with energy-efficient HVAC systems and LED lighting for the Hudson River Foods family of brands, including Tempt Hemp, European Gourmet Bakery, Cherrybrook Kitchen, Epic Seed, 479 Popcorn, Healthy To Go and High Country Kombucha.