Litehouse buys Green Garden

Litehouse Inc. of Sandpoint has purchased the assets and brand of Green Garden Foods.

Terms of the deal, announced Monday, were not disclosed.

Green Garden, based in Kent, Wash., specializes in cooked sauces, said Litehouse Vice President Paul Kusche. Litehouse is one of the largest makers of refrigerated salad dressings in the country.

“They have some manufacturing capacity that we don’t, and that we need,” Kusche said.

Green Garden also sells to the food service industry, where it competes with Litehouse, he said, adding that Litehouse will retain the Green Garden brand.

Litehouse President Jim Frank said Green Garden, with about 40 employees, had been looking for investors or a partner.

“Business has been a little rough for them,” he said.

But, Frank added, “They have some really good customers.”

Kusche said Green Garden equipment will be moved to Sandpoint, and to Litehouse’s other manufacturing plant in Lowell, Mich. Litehouse did not buy the building occupied by Green Garden, he said.

Litehouse employs 490, all but 120 in Sandpoint.

Kusche said some Green Garden employees will be given the opportunity to move to Litehouse plants.

The transition will proceed gradually as managers work toward an Oct. 1 deadline for completing the move, Kusche said.

Green Garden has been in the food production business for more than 70 years.