Utz® Quality Foods, Inc. celebrates the attainment of its integration milestones related to its 2015 purchase of Condor Snack Company of Denver, CO and Keystone Pretzel Bakery of Lititz, PA.

Recognizing the growing consumer demand for unique and healthier snack foods, Condor Snacks and Keystone Pretzel have played a key role in supporting Utz® to further generate consumer excitement around craft, better-for-you, and regional snack food offerings. Both facilities provide a range of incremental capabilities to support Utz’s strategic brand portfolio expansion including gluten free, non-GMO, organic, and new manufacturing capabilities using unique and healthier oils.

During the past year, the Team has worked together to implement new processes and practices, while implementing a new management information system through partner, NetSuite, designed to ensure a steady flow of information and key business insights.

Said Don Dixon, VP General Manager, Condor Division, “The combined Teams are working very well together, sharing best practices and leveraging a range of ideas to further increase capacities, improve efficiencies, and take advantage of our core capabilities. Additionally, this has paid dividends to our existing private brand partners where we have been able to enhance our partnerships further.”

Through the combined Team’s work, along with a 40% increase in work-force and greater than $2.5mm capital investment, Utz® has added incremental capabilities at both facilities, which will play an important role in producing Utz’s existing family of brands including: Utz®, Dirty® Potato Chips, Good Health® and Bachman® brands. And, Condor’s Denver facility, in particular, is uniquely situated to produce Utz® offerings locally, along with the upcoming plan to implement a direct-store delivery (DSD) model for Colorado’s largest grocery stores.

“We are very pleased with the seamless integration of Condor Snacks and Keystone Pretzel into the Utz® family. Both of these businesses are well established and support our vertical integration model, providing incremental capabilities especially in gluten free, non-GMO, organic, and unique oils. Additionally, Condor is uniquely positioned to serve as a launch-pad to produce and distribute the Utz® brand to not just the local Denver market, but also to the West Coast,” said Dylan Lissette, President and CEO, Utz® Quality Foods, Inc.