COLLEGEDALE, ARK. — McKee Foods Corp., Collegedale, is partnering with Hill Country Bakery, San Antonio, in an agreement under which McKee will distribute a new line of single-serve cake products baked by Hill Country. McKee said the new line, which will include muffins, sliced cake and crumb cake, will be positioned as a premium selection at convenience stores, echoing the baked foods options typically offered at coffee houses. The new Coffee House Café line of Hill Country will include banana nut, blueberry and chocolate muffins; banana nut, iced lemon and chocolate sliced cake; and a variety of crumb cakes.
“With the increasing demand for superior coffee in the c-store arena, these ‘coffee house’ style products fill the need for that ideal accompanying snack,” McKee Foods said. “With proven flavor combinations and preferred packaging, Coffee House Café will be instantly recognizable as the brand that provides the freshest, tastiest and most attractive products among premium baked goods.”
Established in 1997 by David Nolan and Steve O’Donnell, Hill Country Bakery said it sells its products directly to food service customers as well as to wholesalers, supermarkets, bakery distributors, warehouse clubs, the Department of Defense and food exporters. In 1997 their shared goal was to merge innovative superior product quality; cutting-edge environmentally friendly production and manufacturing technology and the implementation of easier more cost efficient ways for client-partners to market products under their labels.
With annual sales of $1.4 billion, privately-held McKee is one of the largest snack cake companies in the United States.
