Maker’s Pride

Hearthside Food Solutions was the United States’ largest contract food manufacturer and private bakery, headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois. Founded in 2009, it produced snack bars, cookies, crackers, cereals, frozen entrées, and provided packaging services for major consumer brands. In 2025, the company emerged from bankruptcy reorganization under the new name Maker’s Pride LLC.

Key facts

• Founded: 2009
• Headquarters: Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S.
• CEO: Darlene Nicosia (since 2022)
• Employees: About 12,000 (2024)
• Reorganized as: Maker’s Pride LLC (March 2025)

Operations and Growth

Maker’s Pride built its reputation as the food industry’s largest third-party producer, manufacturing and packaging baked goods and snacks for global brands such as Mondelez International and General Mills. It operated more than 40 facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, producing high-volume, complex food products under strict safety and quality standards. The company expanded significantly through acquisitions, including the 2021 purchase of the Weston Foods Ambient Division, adding six North American bakeries.