HANOVER, Pa. -- Utz Quality Foods Inc. has launched the Utz Specialty Division. It will provide retailers with a range of brands and products to satisfy growing consumer demand for better-for-you, craft and regional snack foods.
Drawing on the December 2013 acquisition of the Good Health brand, Utz has spent the last year expanding the portfolio of better-for-you snacks, developing packaging enhancements and broadening the brand’s distribution base.
Building on this momentum, the Utz Specialty Division will also focus on the further development of the Dirty Potato Chips, Zapp’s Potato Chips, California Chips and Hispanic-oriented Miguelitos brands. These brand platforms offer retailers a range of offerings designed to satisfy consumer demand for "great tasting, unique and experiential" snack foods.
“Based on discussions with large and small retail operators, we are excited to launch the new Utz Specialty Division to more deeply interact with retail partners specifically on providing ways of bringing the right snacks to their consumer base," said Dylan Lissette, president and CEO of Utz Quality Foods.
"With major investments in our brands and manufacturing capabilities over the last four years including organic, gluten free and unique oils, the Utz Specialty Division is well positioned in a strong snack category leadership position, nationally. As the fourth-largest snack brand in the U.S., with vertical integration of brand ownership, manufacturing, sales and distribution, we are uniquely situated to work with all classes of trade to develop products and sales programs to meet the consumer’s ever-changing needs,” he added.
In addition, Utz has appointed Rick Suchenski to the role of senior vice president of sales and marketing to lead the launch and management of the new dvision.
“Consumers continue to demand a wide range of snack food offerings for varying occasions. Coupled with this demand and a range of existing and new capabilities, the Utz Specialty Division is uniquely positioned to provide Retailers with solutions to capitalize on snack food trends and generate increased sales. And with facilities located in San Diego, Denver, Greensboro, N.C., Hanover, Pa., and more, the Utz Specialty Team is nationally situated and highly accessible to the market,” said Suchenski.
As part of a comprehensive plan to further support the Utz Specialty Division’s growing technical capabilities, capacity requirements and distribution reach, Utz has recently acquired Condor Snack Company of Denver and Keystone Pretzel Bakery of Lititz, Pa.
Utz, a privately owned and family-managed company founded in 1921 and based in Hanover, Pa., manufacturers and markets snack foods throughout the United States and internationally. The company produces a full line of snack products including potato chips, pretzels, cheese snacks, corn products, veggie snacks and popcorn. Utz distributes its products nationally through grocery, mass-merchant, club stores, convenience stores, drug stores and other channels under the Utz, Zapp’s, Dirty, Good Health, Bachman, Wachusett and California Chips brand names.
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