At a glance
| EBITDA range | $5M to $50M S2 |
|---|---|
| Check size | $10M to $50M S2 |
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S2 |
| Geography | United States, Canada S2 |
| Sectors | Consumer & Food |
What Swander Pace Capital buys
Swander Pace Capital is a consumer staples private equity firm with offices in San Francisco and Bedminster, New Jersey. It has invested only in consumer businesses since 1996, and today it concentrates on two areas: food and beverage, and health and wellness products such as vitamins and supplements. It invests across the whole chain, from branded companies to private label and contract manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. The firm counts 64 platform investments and 42 add-ons, and its October 2026 release puts cumulative equity commitments at about $2.2 billion.
Its stated targets are established, profitable companies in the US and Canada with $5 million to $50 million of EBITDA, usually owned by a founder or family that has never taken outside capital. It mainly buys control, putting in $10 million to $50 million of equity per deal, or up to $100 million when co-investors join. Smaller producers can also meet the firm as add-ons: its playbook lists add-on acquisitions, and its bakery platform Café Valley bought the assets of Freed's Bakery in 2023.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 3, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | Fine Choice Foods (SUMM! brand)Richmond, BC maker of Asian-inspired appetizers sold to Power Sustainable Lios; EBITDA tripled under SPC ownership | Exit | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Aug 2026 | Purely ElizabethAgreement for Ferrero to buy the Boulder granola and cereal brand from its founder, SEMCAP Food & Nutrition and SPC; the founder stays on as CEO | Exit | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Jun 2025 | Maple DonutsPennsylvania private label frozen donut maker founded by the Burnside family in 1946; the firm's eighth bakery platform | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S4.
Food & Beverage
- Maple Donuts
- Inovata Foods
- St-Méthode Bakery
- Mighty Spark
- Café Valley
- Oregon Ice Cream (Alden's)
Health & Wellness
- Captek Softgel International
- Max Solutions
- Mommy's Bliss
- Bragg Live Food Products
- Swanson Health Products
Past investments: Purely Elizabeth, Fine Choice Foods
Greymont’s take
How Swander Pace Capital fits a seller
Swander Pace suits owners of food, beverage, supplement or wellness product companies who are taking on an outside investor for the first time. Most of its partners are families or founders, and it is as comfortable with a private label bakery as with a fast-growing brand. In June 2025 it bought Maple Donuts, a Pennsylvania donut maker the Burnside family started in 1946, which the firm called its eighth bakery platform.
A sale usually means handing over majority control, since the firm mainly does control buyouts. Its two 2026 exits, Purely Elizabeth to Ferrero and Fine Choice Foods to the food investor Power Sustainable Lios, show that it builds each company toward a later sale. An owner who keeps a stake should ask how long the firm expects to hold the business and what role the family keeps after closing.
Questions owners ask
What size of company does Swander Pace Capital look for?
Its criteria call for established, profitable businesses with $5 million to $50 million of EBITDA in the US or Canada. It puts in $10 million to $50 million of equity per deal, and up to $100 million with co-investors.
Does Swander Pace buy family-owned food companies?
Yes. Its criteria target founder and family owned businesses taking their first institutional capital, and the firm says about 80 percent of its partnerships fit that pattern. Maple Donuts, bought in June 2025, had been run by the founding Burnside family since 1946.
Will Swander Pace take a minority stake?
Its published criteria say it primarily makes control buyout investments, so an owner should expect to sell a majority stake. Founders can still stay on to run the business, as Elizabeth Stein did as CEO of Purely Elizabeth.
Who has Swander Pace sold companies to recently?
In August 2026 it agreed to sell Purely Elizabeth to Ferrero, a deal its later release says closed in September. In October 2026 it sold Fine Choice Foods to Power Sustainable Lios, the food investment arm of Power Sustainable.
Sources
- S1Swander Pace Capital home page Accessed November 3, 2026
- S2Swander Pace Capital: About, Our Strategy and Investment Criteria Accessed November 3, 2026
- S3Swander Pace Capital: Our Approach and the SPC Playbook Accessed November 3, 2026
- S4Swander Pace Capital: Our Partnerships (portfolio) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S5Swander Pace Capital News Accessed November 3, 2026
- S6Swander Pace Capital Acquires Maple Donuts (June 2, 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S7Ferrero Group Signs Agreement to Acquire Purely Elizabeth (August 14, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S8Swander Pace Capital Announces Sale of Fine Choice Foods to Power Sustainable Lios (October 22, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Swander Pace Capital. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction