Barilla has reached an agreement to acquire the startup Goodles, specializing in nutrient-dense canned macaroni and cheese, with the aim of expanding its presence in the US healthy market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but data from PitchBook ( a platform that provides data, research, and analysis on global capital markets) shows that Goodles was valued at $88 million in 2023; it reported its first profit in 2024. The brand is known in the US market for its colorful packaging and playful flavor names.

Founded in October 2020 as Gooder Foods, the Santa Cruz, California-based company employs a team of 73 people. Under the terms of the agreement, the entire team will be retained with no changes in reporting, and co-founder and CEO Jen Zeszut will continue to lead the team. The brand was born from the idea that everyone's favorite comfort food, mac and cheese, could be more nutritious. The brand is distributed throughout the United States by major retailers and independent retail chains. Gooder will maintain its headquarters in Santa Cruz and continue to operate as a standalone brand, free to make its own decisions regarding product, recipes, quality, ingredients, suppliers, marketing, and more.

"We chose the Barilla Group because it can help us innovate and grow internationally, while allowing us to make better decisions and maintain our quality," explains Jen Zeszut , co-founder and CEO of Goodles. "The Barilla Group appreciates us just the way we are, from our nearly unusable dune buggy to our buzzing headquarters in Santa Cruz. We won't change a thing. I knew the Barilla Group was the perfect partner when I jokingly offered the president (Mr. Barilla) a Goodles sticker for his new car that read 'My friends and I love macaroni,' and he actually accepted it."

Goodles launched its version of mac and cheese online in 2021, promoting the products with the slogan "Noodles, Gooder" due to their protein and fiber content. Since then, it has introduced flavors like "Here Comes Truffle," added several healthier pasta options, and expanded distribution to retailers like Target and Whole Foods.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the American company captured 7.8% of US spending on shelf-stable mac and cheese in the 12 months ending last June, up from 0.8% in the same period three years earlier. Goodles aims to expand the mac and cheese market, not just take share from established brands (like Kraft Heinz): the shelf-stable mac and cheese segment generates an estimated $2.1 to $2.3 billion in annual sales in the United States. This growing market is where the Santa Cruz-based company generates 80% of sales, even from consumers who previously didn't eat mac and cheese or who are purchasing it in larger quantities than before, according to brand statistics.

"Today is an important day for our Group," emphasized Chairman Guido Barilla . "We have been following Goodles for some time and have been increasingly impressed by the strength of the brand, the quality of its products, and the momentum of its growth. Knowing the management team, led by Jen Zeszut, we have been equally impressed by the solidity of the organization, its unity, and its forward-thinking vision. Together, these qualities have convinced us that Goodles was the right choice and represents an exciting opportunity for the future."