Lolli & Pops Acquires Hammond's Candies

Sequel Holdings and Embassy Park Invest in Piedmont Candy Company

May 1, 2023

Food & Beverage

Sequel Holdings acquired a majority interest in Piedmont Candy Company in May 2023, partnering with Embassy Park Investment Company. Piedmont Candy Company, headquartered in Lexington, North Carolina, is a maker of Redbird peppermint puffs and Thinfuls popcorn snacks and sells branded and private-label products across mass, dollar, club, drug and e-commerce channels.

Barcel USA (Grupo Bimbo) Acquires Popcornopolis from NexPhase Capital

October 29, 2021

Food & Beverage

Barcel USA, the U.S. snack division of Grupo Bimbo, has acquired Popcornopolis LLC from private equity firm NexPhase Capital. Terms were not disclosed; Popcornopolis — a gourmet, ready-to-eat popcorn manufacturer and DTC brand — will join Barcel USA's snack portfolio following NexPhase's 2019 investment and recent retail and e-commerce growth.

Hoffmann Family of Companies Acquires Elmer Chocolate

August 5, 2025

Food & Beverage

Hoffmann Family of Companies, a U.S.-based family equity firm, has acquired Elmer Chocolate, a long-standing seasonal chocolatier known for its heart-shaped Valentine’s chocolates and large-scale confectionery manufacturing in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Financial terms were not disclosed; members of the Nelson family (including Rob and Michael Nelson) will retain partial ownership and remain in leadership as Hoffmann aims to expand Elmer’s product portfolio to drive year-round growth.

Ex Populus Acquires LAMO

November 22, 2022

Media & Entertainment

Ex Populus, a Web3 gaming studio and publisher, has acquired LAMO, a multimedia IP that includes a PC game, augmented reality experiences, and a collectible toy line. The acquisition brings LAMO's IP and development talent into Ex Populus' Web3 ecosystem to expand its gaming portfolio and phygital/Metaverse capabilities.

American Beverage Corporation (Harvest Hill) Acquires Poppilu

November 14, 2022

Food & Beverage

American Beverage Corporation, a subsidiary of Harvest Hill Beverage Company, has acquired Poppilu, a Chicago-based mom-founded kids' lemonade brand. The acquisition expands Harvest Hill/American Beverage's portfolio in the better-for-you kids' beverage category and will broaden Poppilu's national retail reach.

The Hershey Company Acquires LesserEvil to Expand Better-For-You Snacking Portfolio

November 20, 2025

Food & Beverage

The Hershey Company has finalized its acquisition of LesserEvil, an organic snacks brand offering popcorn and puffs with better-for-you ingredients. The deal expands Hershey’s snacking portfolio across better-for-you and salty snack categories and adds additional manufacturing capacity while keeping LesserEvil’s leadership team in place.