TreeHouse Foods' Majority Acquisition of the U.S.- Branded Pasta Portfolio of Riviana Foods

Winston & Strawn LLP represented TreeHouse Foods (NYSE: THS), an Illinois-based manufacturer and distributor of private-label packaged foods and beverages in North America, in the majority acquisition of the U.S.-branded pasta portfolio of Riviana Foods, a subsidiary of Ebro based in Texas, for US$242.5M in cash. The acquisition includes the following regional brands: Skinner, No Yolks, American Beauty, Creamette, San Giorgio, Prince and Light 'n Fluffy, Mrs. Weiss', Wacky Mac, P&R Procino-Rossi, and New Mill, and the St. Louis manufacturing facility, which employs approximately 90 people. The acquisition does not include the Ronzoni national brand, or its Winchester, Virginia and Fresno, California plants. Upon completion of the transaction, TreeHouse expects its leverage ratio to remain in the 3.0x to 3.5x range.