Canada’s McCain Foods, the French fries giant, has acquired Irish plant-based frozen-food company Strong Roots.
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, builds on a deal announced in 2021 that saw McCain buy a minority stake in the business.
Strong Roots, founded in 2015 in Dublin by CEO Samuel Dennigan, has a product range including Cauliflower Hash Browns, Mixed Root Vegetable Fries and Sweet Potato Fries.
Its products are sold in markets including Ireland, the UK, and the US.
In 2021, McCain invested $55m in Strong Roots in exchange for a minority interest. The undisclosed stake was acquired from Goode Partners, the US private-equity firm that invested in Strong Roots in 2019 as part of a Series A round.
Announcing it has now bought the business outright, McCain said Strong Roots will operate as a distinct business unit.
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A brand advisory council will be instituted, including Strong Roots’ founder Dennigan and members of the Strong Roots and McCain teams, as well as external advisors, to shape the brand and business for future growth.
McCain plans to scale Strong Roots’ product range and to take the brand into more markets.
Jillian Moffatt, the regional president for McCain’s business in Great Britain and Ireland said: “This investment bolsters McCain’s commitment to planet-friendly food, enabling us to extend our portfolio of healthier options that are grown, processed and shipped in a sustainable manner.”
Dennigan said: “We have witnessed tremendous growth since partnering with McCain and this move will enable Strong Roots to maintain its focus on sustainability while propelling innovation to bring delicious, vegetable-forward products to more consumers around the world.”
