Foley & Lardner LLP advised Jelly Belly Candy Company (Jelly Belly) in its agreement to be sold to Ferrara Candy Company (Ferrara).
Jelly Belly was founded in Illinois in 1869 and has been family-owned and operated by the fourth, fifth, and sixth generations of the Rowland candy-making family. Its signature brand of jelly beans was introduced in 1976, and today, the company distributes its products in more than 60 countries across five continents and has a strong track record of sustained and profitable growth.
The acquisition will combine Jelly Belly’s more than 100 flavors of jelly beans and gourmet specialty confections with Ferrara’s broad portfolio of sugar candies, which includes well-known brands such as NERDS, SweeTARTS, Lemondheads, and Trolli.
Representing Jelly Belly was a Foley team led by partners Steven Vazquez, Lawrence Goldstein, Brandee Diamond, and associates Rachael Martinez, Kristin Fanto, and Saige Gallop (M&A). The team also included partner Timothy Voigtman, senior counsel Jordan Bergmann, and associate Jacob Davis (Tax), partner Alan Rutenberg, of counsel Sophie Lignier, and associate Richard Flannery (Antitrust), partners Clifton Dugas and Pamela Brown (Real Estate), partners Terrell Miller and Steven Millendorf (Intellectual Property), partner Gary Rovner and senior counsel Nicholas Johnson (Environmental), partner Michelle Ku (Litigation), of counsel Mark Neuberger (Labor & Employment), and of counsel Kathleen Bardunias (Benefits).
