Crisco owner B&G Foods sells tomato brands amid efforts to reshape portfolio
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B&G Foods sold two of its tomato brands to a private equity company as the Crisco owner looks to offload some of its portfolio and reduce debt.
Violet Foods, a newly formed portfolio company of Amphora Equity Partners, will acquire B&G's Don Pepino and Sclafani brands for an undisclosed amount. Don Pepino makes sauces used in pizza shops across the East Coast, while Sclafani is known for its tomatoes, tomato puree and whole peeled tomatoes.
The sale included the manufacturing facility in Williamstown, New Jersey where the products are produced. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Built through a series of acquisitions, B&G Foods is taking a far different approach these days. The New Jersey company has been actively slimming down its portfolio to streamline its focus and reduce its overall debt load.
B&G sold Green Giant canned business to Seneca Foods in 2023 and snacks brand Back to Nature a year earlier to Barilla. The company is also looking to sell the Green Giant frozen business.
Don Pepino and Sclafani are smaller offerings within B&G's portfolio of more than 50 brands that also include Ortega, Cream of Wheat and Crisco. Don Pepino and Sclafani make sauces and tomato products, categories that face significant competition from brand names and private-label offerings. This headwind is unlikely to abate as inflation-weary consumers cut back on spending and look to save money when they can.
During the company's first-quarter earnings call, CEO Casey Keller said reshaping B&G's portfolio 'is a very high priority for the company and critical to our future strategic direction and risk profile.' The CEO said his goal includes creating 'a more highly focused B&G' that can be a foundation for M&A growth in its core business lines, principally spices and seasonings, Mexican meal preparation and baking staples.
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In 2023 alone, more than 2.4 million passengers were prevented from travelling due to pre-boarding algorithmic flagging, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and INTERPOL. This phenomenon disproportionately affects: Asylum seekers Political dissidents Fugitives from oppressive regimes Transnational activists Stateless persons without a conventional ID Case Study: Jamal Khashoggi's Digital Trail The 2018 assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was partially enabled by digital tracking. Turkish intelligence later confirmed that Saudi operatives used mobile phone metadata, airline travel logs, and digital surveillance to orchestrate his capture and murder. The case became a landmark moment, demonstrating how digital tracking tools can be weaponized to monitor and neutralize dissent, even in foreign jurisdictions. The Legal Grey Zone: Predictive Policing and Due Process Predictive surveillance raises major legal questions. Is it lawful to deny someone entry based on a probability score generated by AI? What rights does a flagged traveller have when they're denied boarding in a third country? Can you challenge a decision made by an algorithm? Most current legal frameworks do not adequately address these questions. The right to mobility, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now clashing with national security algorithms programmed by private firms. As Amicus International notes, 'Borders have become invisible battlegrounds where algorithms, not judges, decide the fate of travellers.' The Human Cost of Smart Walls The impact of digital border control on vulnerable populations is profound. In 2024: Over 40,000 asylum claims were denied based on prior travel history. Stateless Rohingya refugees were rejected from Malaysian entry despite UNHCR documentation. LGBTQ+ activists flagged as 'cultural disruptors' were denied boarding to European safe havens. Dozens of political dissidents were detained at pre-clearance zones before flights ever left the ground. In each of these cases, the Smart Wall wasn't a line in the sand—it was an algorithmic no-fly zone programmed thousands of miles away. Amicus International's Response: Legal Pathways Through the Digital Maze Amicus International Consulting is at the forefront of helping clients navigate this digital transformation of borders. Their services include: Legal second citizenship acquisition through legitimate means, such as ancestry or investment through legitimate means, such as ancestry or investment Name and identity change assistance in compliant jurisdictions in compliant jurisdictions Pre-clearance legal preparation to ensure smooth airport transitions to ensure smooth airport transitions Digital footprint audits to help clients understand what data is being collected to help clients understand what data is being collected Emergency relocation planning for high-risk individuals and dissidents The firm emphasizes legal solutions only, warning that attempting to bypass digital security systems without a lawful grounding can lead to arrest, detention, or permanent blocklisting. Case Study: Escape from Biometric Detection In 2022, Amicus assisted a Belarusian human rights activist facing surveillance by state intelligence. After being flagged on biometric watchlists, he could no longer enter most EU countries. Amicus developed a legal strategy for changing the client's identity, enabling them to obtain Caribbean citizenship under Saint Kitts and Nevis' investment program. With a new identity and citizenship, the client relocated to South Africa, where he now works remotely for an international non-governmental organization (NGO). The biometric systems never matched him again, because he no longer existed under the same parameters. Ethical Concerns: Who Programs the Border? One of the most alarming aspects of the Smart Wall is the lack of public transparency. Companies like Palantir, Elbit Systems, and Anduril develop the predictive software used in Smart Wall projects. Their algorithms are often classified as proprietary, preventing scrutiny or external review. This leads to: Bias reinforcement against ethnic and political groups against ethnic and political groups False positives that block innocent travellers that block innocent travellers No straightforward appeals process for algorithmic decisions for algorithmic decisions Private influence over public policy In effect, corporations are building the walls and setting the rules. Policy Recommendations Amicus International calls for a renewed global conversation on digital borders and legal rights. Recommendations include: Public transparency mandates for Smart Wall algorithms International treaty updates to account for digital border controls Appeal mechanisms for algorithm-based travel denials Digital mobility rights enshrined in international law Protection for data sovereignty in global PNR and biometric databases Conclusion: The Wall You Cannot See The Smart Wall is not just a new border—it's a new paradigm. One where unseen forces govern identity, intent, and mobility, and where crossing a border has less to do with visas and more to do with machine learning predictions. Amicus International Consulting encourages travellers, asylum seekers, and global citizens to take proactive steps. Understanding the legal landscape of digital surveillance is not just advisable—it's essential for survival in the post-biometric age. Contact Information Phone: +1 (604) 200-5402Email: info@ Website: