Hain Celestial Acquires Organic Baby Food Brand

The Hain Celestial Group Inc., a leading natural and organic products company, announced the acquisition of Ella’s Kitchen Group Limited and the formation of the Global Infant, Toddler & Kids Division under Hain Celestial US.  

Ella’s Kitchen is a manufacturer and distributor of premium organic baby food under the Ella’s Kitchen brand and the first company to offer baby food in convenient flexible pouches. Ella’s Kitchen offers a range of 80 branded organic baby food products principally in the United Kingdom, the United States and Scandinavia. 

Ella’s Kitchen generated about $70 million in sales in calendar year 2012 and is expected to be accretive to Hain Celestial’s earnings in fiscal year 2014 by $0.05 to $0.08 per diluted share. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.  

Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen, will become chief executive officer of the new Global Infant, Toddler & Kids Division at Hain Celestial US, with responsibility for Hain Celestial’s Earth’s Best brand as well as the newly acquired Ella’s Kitchen brand. Lindley will report to John Carroll, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Hain Celestial US.

“We are very excited by the strategic acquisition of Ella’s Kitchen, which complements our Earth’s Best line of infant, toddler and kids products,” said Irwin D. Simon, founder, president and chief executive officer of Hain Celestial. “We plan to grow the Ella’s Kitchen brand by leveraging our distribution platform in the European Union and the United States with the addition of Ella’s Kitchen organic baby food product offerings. We also see the opportunity to expand in the U.K. market with new feeding and personal care products under the Ella’s Kitchen brand.”