BOCA RATON, FLA. — Private equity firm New Water Capital LP has acquired Lancaster, Pa.-based honey producer Dutch Gold Honey as well as several related companies, including Gamber Container Co., DGH Logistics, McLure’s Honey and Maple Products, and the Bacon Jug Co.

Founded in 1946, Dutch Gold Honey has become a national honey provider that is known for inventing the squeezable plastic honey bear container. Dutch Gold honey is used in many products, including salad dressings, cereals, yogurt and sauces, New Water said. The company has provided honey to iconic brands, restaurants, foodservice operators, big box grocery retailers and institutional customers.

Both Gamber Container, a Lancaster-based national distributor of empty containers and closures, and DGH Logistics, a Lancaster-based transportation company specializing in general freight, originally were owned by Dutch Gold before they expanded into independent companies. Meanwhile, McLure’s Honey and Maple Products, a Littleton, NH-based supplier of maple syrup, maple sugar, honey and honeycomb, and the Bacon Jug Co., a Littleton-based manufacturer of plastic printed jugs, were both acquired by Dutch Gold in 1997.

“We are excited to announce the acquisition of Dutch Gold, a true pioneer and leader in the American honey industry,” said Nick LaRosa, vice president of New Water. “For nearly 80 years, the Gamber family has consistently innovated and expanded its product portfolio and customer base, while always focusing on quality and service. With consumers increasingly demanding food products that they can trust, Dutch Gold’s commitment to transparency and traceability from hive to table makes it a compelling platform and a superb investment opportunity.”

New Water Capital LP is a private equity firm specializing in lower-middle market companies in the consumer products and industrial manufacturing sectors with revenues of between $30 million and $300 million. Dutch Gold is the sixth consumer products company acquisition of New Water in recent years, with past investments including Klosterman Baking Co., Trillium Health Care Products, Custom Made Meals, The Perfect Bite Co. and Pegasus Foods, Inc.