Overview
- Barilla agreed on Thursday to acquire Goodles in a deal announced Sept. 3, 2026, with financial terms not disclosed and the transaction subject to regulatory approval.
- Goodles will remain headquartered in Santa Cruz and operate as a standalone brand with CEO Jen Zeszut and the existing 73‑person team retained.
- The brand, co-founded by Gal Gadot and Jaron Varsano, built distribution in Target, Walmart and Whole Foods by selling higher‑protein, higher‑fiber mac‑and‑cheese products.
- Barilla has been expanding U.S. manufacturing capacity, including a $145 million Avon, New York project, which the company says will help scale Goodles’ production and international distribution.
- Goodles traces to 2020, raised a 2023 funding round led by L Catterton that valued it at about $88 million, and reported its first profit in 2024, a track record Barilla cited in its decision to buy.