McCormick to buy hot-sauce maker Cholula for $800 million
A shopper reaches toward a display of McCormick spices and flavorings in an Associated Supermarket in 2005.

Spice maker McCormick said on Tuesday it would buy hot-sauce maker Cholula's parent from private-equity firm L Catterton for $800 million, as it looks to cash in on robust demand for packaged foods during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Several food producers, ranging from plant-based patty maker Beyond Meat to breakfast cereal maker Kellogg , have seen a surge in their sales to supermarkets as people cook more at home due to the health crisis.

McCormick, which already owns Frank's RedHot and Old Bay hot sauce brands, reported an 8% jump in sales in its latest reporting quarter, as higher at-home food consumption outweighed weak sales to its restaurant partners.

Hot sauces have grown in popularity in recent years, thanks in part to the rising popularity of spicier cuisines such as Thai and Szechwan, as well as the pop-culture influence of YouTube shows such as Hot Ones.

Cholula's annual net sales are about $96 million and are expected to grow in the mid-to high-single digits in a normalized environment beyond the pandemic, McCormick said.

The deal, likely to be completed by the end of this year, is expected to add to McCormick's adjusted earnings per share in 2021, the company said.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Monday that McCormick was nearing a deal to buy Cholula.

Analysts have said fast-growing Cholula is a great fit for McCormick's portfolio, but they remained cautious as to whether the deal would receive regulatory clearance.