US flavour and seasoning manufacturer The Watkins Company has completed the acquisition of the spice business of Sauer Brands, Inc.
The transaction unites two established North American flavour businesses with operating histories dating back to the late 19th century. Through the deal, Watkins acquires Sauer Brands' consumer-facing spice portfolio alongside its dedicated foodservice and private-label operations, expanding its category reach across commercial food channels.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
"This is a defining moment for Watkins, one that significantly expands our ambitions in flavour," said J.R. Rigley, Chief Executive Officer of The Watkins Company. "For more than 150 years, Watkins has built its reputation on deep expertise and creating products people love. With the addition of Sauer's brands, capabilities, and talented teams, we have a platform to put that expertise to work on a new scale. We believe Watkins has an opportunity to shape what comes next in flavour, and we're excited to get to work."
E. Yuri Hermida, Chief Executive Officer of Sauer Brands, added: "We are pleased to complete this transaction and believe Watkins is well positioned to carry our leading spice brands forward. We are grateful to the employees who have contributed to the success of the business and wish them and Watkins continued success."
Expanded Brand Portfolio
The acquisition incorporates three distinct seasoning and spice labels into Watkins' master portfolio, broadening its product presence across retail grocery shelves, entertainment venues, and culinary preparations:
🍿 Kernel Season's: Established in 1999, the brand produces popcorn seasonings across savoury, sweet, and spicy flavour profiles, including White Cheddar and Ranch, holding distribution across retail grocery and commercial cinema concessions.
🌿 Spice Hunter: Founded in California in 1980, the label offers a premium range of globally inspired herbs, organic seasonings, and bespoke culinary spice blends.
🧂 Sauer's: Backed by a regional heritage established in 1887, the line supplies staple cooking spices, single-ingredient baking seasonings, and seasoning mixes.
The addition of these three product lines positions Watkins across diverse consumption occasions, connecting home baking and cooking with out-of-home dining and snacking.
Industrial Footprint and Manufacturing Operations
Beyond consumer brand equity, the acquisition includes the transfer of Sauer Brands' spice-dedicated manufacturing and processing infrastructure.
The deal encompasses active production facilities located in Richmond, Virginia, and San Luis Obispo, California. Integrating these coastal and regional processing hubs expands Watkins' domestic manufacturing bandwidth, providing geographic supply-chain diversification alongside its existing Midwest operations.
The expanded processing capacity enables the business to scale production throughput for ground herbs, blended rubs, dry seasoning mixes, and specialised packaging formats.
Retail, Foodservice and Private Label
The transaction provides Watkins with immediate scale across non-retail channels, broadening its commercial relationships within institutional foodservice, casual dining, and store-brand manufacturing.
By absorbing Sauer Brands' spice-related foodservice operations, Watkins strengthens its supply agreements with hospitality distributors, multi-unit restaurant operators, and cinema chains. Furthermore, the integration of Sauer's contract packaging and private-label spice manufacturing division enhances Watkins' capacity to formulate, blend, and package customised seasoning lines for third-party grocery partners.
Watkins plans to maintain the brand identities of Kernel Season's, Spice Hunter, and Sauer's while integrating logistics, procurement, and technical flavour development across the combined corporate estate.
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