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Cariz Food Company, Inc. is an American food, beverage and confectionary manufacturer and distributor. They manufacture and produce consumer food and drink products sold under various brand names that are available in supermarkets, restaurants, and food service establishments.

History[]

Founding, early struggles and eventual success[]

Cariz Food Company was founded by Brazilian immigrant Ricardo Cardoso and his wife Alexandra Nathans-Cardoso in 1972 in Miami, Florida after they purchased a feed mill near Pahokee, Florida. Ricardo chose the company's name, which means "Nature" in Portuguese.

By 1976, Cariz was the largest poultry producer in the state of Florida, and it had expanded into flour and livestock feed. Despite this, the company lost money attempting to expand into the fisheries, pet food and baby care industries, and was forced to sell its space in a New York City office building in order to avoid bankruptcy.

After extensive research into food preservation and refrigeration, in 1982, Cariz had its first major success with the introduction of Speedies, a range of microwaveable burgers and hot sandwiches.

Growth and further expansion[]

In response to the multi-million-dollar success of Speedies, Cariz set off on a two-decade-long buying spree, purchasing over one hundred prepared food brands, starting with its 1985 purchase of Hazelden's brand cake mixes and powders from the Quaker Oats Company. It began to rapidly move into the snack foods market, purchasing several brands from RJR Nabisco. In 1990, it entered the beverage market by acquiring the Hailey's juice products brand from Dr Pepper/Seven Up, and also acquired the Mesnier Brothers snack cake brand the same year.

In 1994, Cariz Food Company acquired several of the brands of the former Ralston Purina cereal lineup from Ralcorp, including Almond Delight, Fruit Islands, Honey Bran, Charged Bran, Freakies-branded cereal and Rainbow Brite Cereal, the rest were bought by General Mills. The following year, it changed its name to Cariz Brands after entering the personal hygiene market.

In 1997, Cariz acquired Total-Superior Beverages Company, makers of Total Cola and Superior Cola.

Modifications of business areas and further acquisitions[]

In 2007, Cariz purchased the Abbadia pasta brand - along with the brand's manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida - from Kellogg's.

In 2008, Cariz spun off its soft drink brands as Total-Superior Beverages.

In 2014, Cariz acquired the US rights to the Um Bongo fruit juice brand from Nestlé.

Move from Florida and rebranding[]

On October 2, 2016, Cariz announced that it was moving its headquarters and around 300 employees from Miami to Middlesex County, New Jersey as part of a restructuring plan. The move of headquarters from Miami to New Jersey was completed in late June 2017 with the opening of their new HQ in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey. Cariz contains to maintain a presence in the Miami area, having moved the Abbadia business there from Michigan two years earlier and also maintaining a R&D center there.

In November 2016, Cariz Brands announced it was selling its personal care and hygiene business to a joint venture of Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical and Oak Hill Capital Partners, with Cariz maintaining a minority interest. The sale did not include Cariz's health food brands. The sale was concluded on February 5, 2017, and the former Cariz personal care and hygiene business became Refreshful Brands, headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The same day, Cariz rebranded back to the Cariz Food Company name.

Recent history[]

On August 12, 2018, Cariz announced the acquisition of River Foods for US$3 million. The transaction was completed on November 1, 2018.

On January 24, 2019, Cariz announced the acquisition of Chattanooga, Tennessee-based health foods company Advance Nutritionals. The transaction was completed on March 1, 2019, with the Advance business keeping its base in Chattanooga.

On February 4, 2021, Cariz announced that it was acquiring the Alpha-Bits cereal brand from Post Holdings. The transaction was completed on May 1, 2021.

Products[]

Main article: List of Cariz Food Company brands

Cariz produces a large variety of food and drink products.

Union relations[]

Most of Cariz's workers at their U.S. food processing facilities are members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, with the exception of workers at the Hazelden's facility in Rochester, New York, who are affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World.

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