Litehouse Inc., a 100-percent employee-owned company and the No. 1 refrigerated salad dressing brand in the U.S., today announced that it acquired Veggiecraft Farms.  Litehouse, a produce department leader, continues to expand its plant-based portfolio as mainstream consumers are increasingly seeking delicious and nutritious food options. According to NPD, plant-based food sales topped $3.3 billion over the past year and are outpacing dollar sales of all retail foods by 10 times.

Known for bringing plant-based pasta to the masses, Veggiecraft Farms specializes in providing vegetable-based versions of beloved foods, without sacrificing taste or texture. Veggiecraft’s plant-based pastas are crafted in Italy using cauliflower flour, lentil flour and pea flour.

Recognized as a leader in the refrigerated section of the produce and deli departments, Litehouse has made aggressive moves over the last year to expand its footprint into different sections of the grocery store. The company launched Green Garden Freeze Dried Herbs in the spice aisle and acquired Sky Valley and Organicville brands, offering shelf-stable sauces and condiments in center-store.

“The acquisition of Veggiecraft Farms is the latest development in our long-term strategy to focus on category expansion and offer consumers convenient, memorable home cooking experiences,” said Kelly Prior, CEO and president of Litehouse. “We are starting to see a significant increase in consumer demand for plant-based offerings and this acquisition will provide a foundation for us to develop a portfolio of products with the plant-based consumer in mind. Outside of this acquisition, we will continue to put an increased focus on building out our plant-based offerings across multiple areas of the grocery store.”