Private Label Brands

Post will acquire Dakota Growers, a company in the approximately $5 billion North American pasta market, with leadership positions in the private label retail, foodservice and ingredient channels.

President and CEO Sean Connolly says the transaction provides an entry point into the attractive dried meat snacks category. In related news, Sally Grimes adds President, Hillshire Brands Gourmet Food Group to a long list of responsibilities.

The candidate will succeed CFO Tim McLevish in Q1 2014, and brings a wealth of consumer packaged goods experience, having worked for nearly 20 years at Procter & Gamble.

The J. M. Smucker Company completes an acquisition of Enray Inc., a privately-held manufacturer and marketer of premium organic, gluten-free ancient grain products.

The portfolio being acquired includes a broad range of liquid and dry-mix salad dressing flavors under the Wish-Bone and Western brand names, at a purchase price of $580 million.

The proposed transaction includes Campbells national brands of soups, sauces and simple meals, including Liebig and Royco in France, Erasco in Germany, Bl Band in Sweden and Devos Lemmens and Royco in Belgium.

Danone says the purchase, for an undisclosed price, "will advance Danone's ambition to further develop yogurt consumption by notably expanding the various ways in which Americans can enjoy yogurt."

The acquisition of Associated Brands will significantly strengthen TreeHouse's retail presence in private label dry grocery and will introduce a line of specialty tea products to complement its fast growing single serve coffee business.