Dessert Holdings, St. Paul, Minn., acquired Atlanta Cheesecake Co. (ACC), Kennesaw, Ga. Dessert Holdings is the holding company formed by private equity firm Gryphon Investors, San Francisco, to house its premium dessert brands platform. ACC manufactures high-end frozen cheesecakes for in-store bakeries and frozen food sections at grocery and club food stores nationwide.

Dessert Holdings plans to operate ACC alongside The Original Cakerie, which Gryphon acquired in December 2015, and Lawler’s Desserts, which Gryphon acquired in July 2016. The Original Cakerie is a manufacturer of high-quality frozen desserts for retail and foodservice customers across North America, while Lawler’s Desserts manufactures gourmet cheesecakes, cakes and pies for restaurant chains, foodservice distributors and major grocery retailers.

Like The Original Cakerie and Lawler’s Desserts, ACC will operate with its own brand and product lines, the management team will remain in place and the company will retain its manufacturing facility in Kennesaw.

“Dessert Holdings is continuing to pursue a strategy of both organic growth and acquisitions, and ACC represents a strong strategic fit for our premium desserts platform,” says Dennis O’Brien, partner at Gryphon. “With the cheesecake category growing at approximately 4% annually, driven by premium products, ACC will help Dessert Holdings establish a critical position in this fragmented but exciting market segment.”

“ACC is a perfect complement to the other companies and brands in our platform, expanding our product offerings, geographic footprint and retail customer network,” says Paul Lapadat, chief executive officer of Dessert Holdings. "I look forward to working with the ACC team, as we continue to build the preeminent premium dessert company for the retail and foodservice industry across North America.”

“As a family-owned business, it is so important to us that we have the respect of our customers and our community,” adds Meg Sapp, president of ACC. “We are confident that the team at Dessert Holdings shares our values and our commitment to delivering innovative desserts of the highest quality, and we look forward to a partnership that will bring Atlanta Cheesecake Co. products to even more people.”