Krave acquired by Hershey

The Hershey chocolate company is craving something a bit more savory these days – as the renown sweets purveyor on Thursday officially announced its purchase of Sonoma-based Krave jerky.

The deal had been rumored for days prior to the Jan. 29 announcement – after a leak to Reuters news service – and, while Hershey Company officials did not disclose the sum, Reuters had the price tag at between $200 million and $300 million.

The Pennsylvania-based Hershey Company, which has closed plants and laid off employees in the last few years, has been looking for healthful snack foods to augment its chocolate and sweets lines in order to remain competitive, company officials have said. Besides chocolate bars and Hershey’s Kisses, the company makes Kit Kat, Twizzlers and Reese’s peanut butter cups.

So, is chocolate-peanut-butter-twizzler jerky on the horizon?

No, says Jon Sebastiani, founder and CEO of Krave Pure Eats – no changes to Krave’s Sonoma operation are afoot.

“The coolest part is that Hershey plans to leave the company in Sonoma and hire within this community,” says Sebastiani, who adds that his “whole team,” himself included, is staying on board. “(Hershey) believes this community is a culinary ?ecosystem and the intent is to let us operate as an independent entity.”

Sebastiani says he got the idea for creating a healthful protein snack when he was eating jerky while training for the 2009 New York City Marathon.

“(I thought) if this could actually be packaged well and taste good – people will want to buy it,” says Sebastiani. Krave launched in 2010 with Sonoma Market and Broadway Market as its first two retail outlets.

Claiming all-natural ingredients, eye-catching pastel packaging and a diversity of flavors – basil citrus, lemon garlic, chili lime, sweet chipotle, among others – the jerky took off with foodies seeking tastier, more healthful snacks.

“The groundswell in America is that consumers are demanding a better-for-you food,” says Sebastiani. “The days of high-fructose (corn syrup) are over.”

Today, says Sebastiani, Krave jerky is in 60,000 stores across the country; it was recently rated No. 72 of the fastest growing companies in the United States on the Inc.5000 list for 2014.

Jon Sebastiani previously served as president of Viansa Winery, founded by (and named for) his mother Vicky and Sam Sebastiani, with the help of Peter Page and Sam’s mother, Sylvia Sebastiani.

Sebastiani says he was initially surprised to be approached by the Hershey Company, but given the consumer trends in the snack-food market, it makes sense.

“People want better products in our bodies, and ones that actually taste good,” he says. “To have this chapter in in our company end by combining with Hershey is very satisfying to me.”

Next on the horizon for Krave is a meat-based protein bar, which the company would market as an alternative to granola and other energy bars. Sebastiani says the bars are still in the consumer-research stage, but such flavors being tested include jalapeno-mango and sour cherry. Stay tuned.