Cibo Vita, an award winning company at the forefront of the smart snacking movement, announced today that Citation Capital, LLC, a next generation private equity firm specializing in founder and family-led businesses, will acquire a majority interest in its company. Citation will become Cibo Vita’s first outside shareholder. Cibo Vita’s co-founders Emre Imamoglu (CEO) and Ahmet Celik (President) will continue to hold a significant ownership interest.
Since 2009, Cibo Vita has created natural and functional snacks for supermarkets, big box chains and warehouse clubs nationwide. The company is a leader in producing high-quality, innovative, value-added products. Cibo Vita is headquartered in Totowa, New Jersey, with three manufacturing facilities and employs over 900 individuals.
Nature’s Garden is the company’s flagship brand and an industry leader in innovating the smart snacking category with its national presence, focusing on better-for-you snacking.
Together, Cibo Vita and Citation will advance the company’s growth trajectory while delivering on the mission of providing smart snacking choices for every household. Citation will work shoulder-to-shoulder with Cibo Vita for continued growth and success.
“Our vision in founding Cibo Vita was to bring healthier snacking options to all families, inspired by our Mediterranean roots,” saidCEO, Emre Imamoglu.”Throughout our history, we have experienced phenomenal growth, attributed to our innovation capabilities, commitment to quality, and a drive to meet the needs of consumers increasingly seeking healthier functional snacking. We sought out a strategic partner that could help ensure that we stay on the forefront of innovation and who is aligned with our personal core values.”
Ahmet Celik, President of Cibo Vita,asserts the importance of seeking a strategic affiliate that aligns with the company’s identity, “We found a differentiated partner in the Citation team, given their resolute focus on performance and deep understanding of the importance of values and culture in founder-led businesses.”
“Emre and Ahmet started from an idea, believing that they could bring better snacking habits to North American consumers, and put everything they had into building Cibo Vita into a highly innovative, profitable business that provides value-added services and products to some of the most coveted customers in North America,” said Tiffany K. Hagge, Citation Founder and Managing Partner. “Cibo Vita exemplifies Citation’s investment philosophy in backing fundamentally strong, defensible businesses with exceptional cultures and shared values, helping them to become ‘best in class’ in their segment through strategic partnership, operational excellence, and a relentless focus on execution.”
“With its reputation for continuous innovation, exceptional management, and great-tasting products, Cibo Vita is a leader in better-for-you foods. We are thrilled to join Emre, Ahmet and their team on this journey to further unlock growth opportunities for Cibo Vita’s customers, employees, and suppliers for years to come,” added Lydie Hudson, Co-Founder and President of Citation.
