Sonoma Creamery cheese and cheese snacks
Sonoma Creamery is a manufacturer and marketer of natural, premium cheeses and cheese snacks.
 

SONOMA, CALIF. — Sonoma Creamery, L.L.C., has received a $10 million equity investment from private equity firm Svoboda Capital Fund IV, L.P. Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1931, Sonoma Creamery is a manufacturer and marketer of natural, premium cheeses and cheese snacks made with no artificial hormones. The company’s product distribution includes such stores as Amazon, Costco, Target, Kroger, Safeway/Albertsons, Wegmans and Sprouts.

Jeff Piper, Svoboda Capital Partners
Jeff Piper, managing director at Svoboda Capital

“We have been impressed with Sonoma’s ability to innovate and grow in the exciting healthy snack category,” said Jeff Piper, managing director at Svoboda Capital. “We are looking forward to collaborating with the Sonoma management team to enhance the long-term growth and success of the company.”

Sonoma Creamery intends to use the proceeds from the transaction to support its growth initiatives, the company said, including developing new products, hiring key personnel and building additional production capacity.

John Crean, Sonoma Creamery
John Crean, president and c.e.o. of Sonoma Creamery

“We are excited to have a new partner who shares our belief in making addictively healthy cheese snacks from the highest quality, simplest ingredients,” said John Crean, president and chief executive officer of Sonoma Creamery. “Teamwork is our secret weapon. We believe deeply in delivering the absolute best, most compelling, most innovative products to our consumers and retailer partners.  We are enthusiastic that the team at Svoboda share our objectives as the surest way to build long-term value for our shareholders, partners and employees.”

Based in Chicago, Svoboda Capital is a private equity firm with more than $350 million of capital under management. Founding in 1998, the firm identifies, invests in and helps build businesses in its targeted business niches, which include consumer products, value-added distribution and business services.