Otis Spunkmeyer
{{Short description|Brand of baked goods}}
{{more references|date=October 2018}}
{{Coord|37|41|39|N|122|10|14.8|W|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Otis Spunkmeyer Inc.
| logo = Otis Spunkmeyer (logo).png
| logo_size = 180px
| type = Subsidiary
| foundation =1977
| location = San Leandro, California, United States
| num_employees = 1,183 (2005)
| industry = Food processing
| products = Muffins, Cookies Danishes, Brownies, Pretzels, Bagels, Cinnamon Rolls.
| revenue = {{profit}}336.3 million USD (2005)
| parent = Aryzta
| homepage = [http://www.otisspunkmeyer.com/ www.otisspunkmeyer.com]
}}
Otis Spunkmeyer Inc. is a baked goods distribution company. Otis Spunkmeyer produces cookies, muffins, frozen cookie doughs, and other pastries.
History
Ken Rawlings, the founder of Otis Spunkmeyer, Inc., opened the first fresh-baked cookie store in Oakland, California in 1977. For the name of the business, Rawlings took the suggestion of his 12-year-old daughter who coined the name.{{cite web | url=http://www.spunkmeyer.com/About-Us/Our-Story/Our-Story/ | title=Otis Spunkmeyer - Our Story | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521032859/http://www.spunkmeyer.com/About-Us/Our-Story/Our-Story/ | accessdate=2013-05-12| archive-date=2013-05-21 }} By 1983, with his brother Bill, Rawlings had grown the company to less than two dozen stores. With high overhead costs and weak sales, the company shifted its focus from retail to wholesale, creating a store-baked cookie program for other foodservice operators. The program included pre-portioned frozen cookie dough, a pre-set convection oven, and marketing materials. This program allowed both big and small foodservice operators to sell store-baked cookies in their facilities.
Otis Spunkmeyer hired a pair of DC-3 aircraft painted with the company logo and had them fly over the Golden Gate bridge.
A 2002 management buyout was led by chief executive officer, John Schiavo, in association with the private equity firm of Code Hennessy & Simmons.{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2006 |title=FORM S-1: Otis Spunkmeyer Holdings, Inc. |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1189518/000104746906008593/a2171199zs-1.htm |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=www.sec.gov}}
In September 2005, Otis Spunkmeyer acquired Merkel-McDonald, Inc., a manufacturer, and distributor of frozen IQF Cookie Dough products for the foodservice market, doing business as Chippery. Chippery is based out of Austin, Texas and has a {{convert|97000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} manufacturing facility located there.{{Cite web |date=September 8, 2006 |title=Amendment No. 2 to FORM S-1 - Otis Spunkmeyer Holdings, Inc. |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1189518/000104746906011684/a2172729zs-1a.htm |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=www.sec.gov}}
In November 2006, the company was sold to Irish Agricultural Wholesale Society ('IAWS') for $561 million.[http://www.londonstockexchange.com/LSECWS/IFSPages/MarketNewsPopup.aspx?id=1318133 London Stock Exchange] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414233415/https://www.londonstockexchange.com/LSECWS/IFSPages/MarketNewsPopup.aspx%3Fid%3D1318133 |date=2019-04-14 }} announcement of takeover IAWS already owned Cuisine de France and La Brea Bakery,{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2004 |title=Rising Dough |url=https://www.forbes.com/global/2004/0112/040.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Forbes |language=en}} and merged with Hiestand to form Aryzta in 2008.{{Cite news |date=2008-06-09 |title=Bakers IAWS, Hiestand to merge and create ARYZTA AG |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/iaws-hiestand-idUSDUB00065420080609 |access-date=2023-10-31}}