Country Pure Foods, a manufacturer of individually packaged fresh fruit drinks, juices, and nectars, has acquired Cal-Tex Citrus Juice. Country Pure Foods will continue to operate the Cal-Tex plant located in Houston, Texas and products will be consolidated under the Ardmore Farms brand. Country Pure Foods is a portfolio company of Mistral Equity Partners which [...]

Mistral Equity Partners has acquired Worldwise, which supplies dog and cat products under the SmartyKat, PoochPlanet and Petlinks brands. Financial terms were not announced. New York-based Mistral Equity, a PE firm, targets consumer, retail, and consumer focused media sectors.

Mistral Equity Partners today added its sixth portfolio company: Country Pure Foods, a producer and distributor of single-serve juices for convenience and grocery stores.

One of the Country Pure’s major segments is serving institutions like schools and hospitals, says Andy Heyer, Mistral Equity’s managing partner. Brands include Ardmore Farms, Glacier Valley, and Natural Country.

First Atlantic Capital and DN Partners were the sellers. Country Pure’s management is retaining a stake, Heyer says, while Bank of Montreal is providing senior debt financing.

Shearer’s Foods Inc., a maker and distributor of branded and private-label snack foods, has agreed to acquire rival Snack Alliance. No financial terms were disclosed. Shearer’s Foods is a portfolio company of Mistral Equity Partners.

Chef Solutions Holdings LLC (a.k.a. Orval Kent), a Wheeling, Ill.-based manufacturer of fresh prepared foods for retailers and food service accounts, has raised $24 million from Mistral Equity Partners.

Mistral Equity Partners, the new firm created by alumni of Trimaran Capital Partners, has all but closed its debut fund, peHUB has learned. The effort started out in September 2007 with an anchor commitment from Schottenstein Group and its sights on $500 million.

Since then the fundraising market has basically fallen apart and I’m sure Mistral’s focus on consumer products in a recession hasn’t helped. To date, the firm has closed on just under $300 million in funding. The fund will remain open until June 30 for any straggler investors who may come in at the last minute. Forum Capital is the fund’s placement agent.

I called Andrew Heyer, the firm’s Managing Partners, for comment. He said, “We’re very