Key Takeaways
- • Butterfly Equity, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm specializing in food and beverage, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sabert Holding Corp., a global food packaging manufacturer founded in 1983 with capabilities across plastic, paper, and molded fiber formats.
- • Sabert operates 13 manufacturing facilities globally (nine in the U.S.) and serves major customer segments including foodservice distribution, supermarkets, restaurants, QSRs, and food processors, supported by over 400 product patents and dedicated innovation capabilities.
- • The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2026; financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition expands Butterfly's portfolio within the $28 trillion food sector and augments the firm's investment in critical food and beverage industry infrastructure.
- • Sabert has demonstrated organic growth through strategic acquisitions, including Colpac Limited and Kalman Packaging, positioning it as a scaled platform across multiple food packaging substrates prior to the Butterfly transaction.
- • Albert Salama, Founder and Executive Chairman of Sabert, cited Butterfly's deep expertise in food and beverage customer segments as a key rationale for the partnership, emphasizing continued investment in innovation and service delivery.
Summary
Butterfly Equity, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm with exclusive focus on the $28 trillion food sector, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Sabert Holding Corp., a leading global manufacturer of innovative and sustainable food packaging solutions. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in Q4 2026, with financial terms undisclosed.
Sabert, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Sayreville, New Jersey, operates as a scaled food packaging platform with diversified manufacturing capabilities spanning plastic, paper, and molded fiber substrates. The company operates 13 manufacturing facilities globally, including nine domestically, and maintains longstanding relationships across critical food and beverage customer segments: foodservice distribution, supermarkets and grocery retailers, restaurants and quick-service restaurants, fresh protein processors, and food manufacturers. The company's competitive positioning is reinforced by over 400 product patents and dedicated research, tooling, and innovation infrastructure.
Prior to the Butterfly transaction, Sabert demonstrated active portfolio expansion through acquisitions including Colpac Limited and Kalman Packaging, strengthening its presence in bakery and supermarket sectors with thermoformed plastic food packaging solutions. This M&A activity underscores management's strategy to build scale and broaden substrate capabilities within the food packaging vertical.
Albert Salama, Founder and Executive Chairman of Sabert, characterized the partnership with Butterfly as aligned with Sabert's four-decade focus on developing solutions responsive to evolving consumer eating and lifestyle patterns. Salama emphasized that Butterfly's deep expertise and customer knowledge within food and beverage end markets positioned the firm as an ideal partner for the company's next growth phase, with continued emphasis on innovation investment and service delivery excellence.
The acquisition reflects Butterfly's strategic thesis of building critical infrastructure assets within the fragmented food packaging ecosystem, where consolidation opportunities remain substantial across substrate categories and geographic markets.
Sabert, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Sayreville, New Jersey, operates as a scaled food packaging platform with diversified manufacturing capabilities spanning plastic, paper, and molded fiber substrates. The company operates 13 manufacturing facilities globally, including nine domestically, and maintains longstanding relationships across critical food and beverage customer segments: foodservice distribution, supermarkets and grocery retailers, restaurants and quick-service restaurants, fresh protein processors, and food manufacturers. The company's competitive positioning is reinforced by over 400 product patents and dedicated research, tooling, and innovation infrastructure.
Prior to the Butterfly transaction, Sabert demonstrated active portfolio expansion through acquisitions including Colpac Limited and Kalman Packaging, strengthening its presence in bakery and supermarket sectors with thermoformed plastic food packaging solutions. This M&A activity underscores management's strategy to build scale and broaden substrate capabilities within the food packaging vertical.
Albert Salama, Founder and Executive Chairman of Sabert, characterized the partnership with Butterfly as aligned with Sabert's four-decade focus on developing solutions responsive to evolving consumer eating and lifestyle patterns. Salama emphasized that Butterfly's deep expertise and customer knowledge within food and beverage end markets positioned the firm as an ideal partner for the company's next growth phase, with continued emphasis on innovation investment and service delivery excellence.
The acquisition reflects Butterfly's strategic thesis of building critical infrastructure assets within the fragmented food packaging ecosystem, where consolidation opportunities remain substantial across substrate categories and geographic markets.
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