Verde Valle Foods Acquires A Dozen Cousins

Founder & CEO, Ibraheem Basir, To Stay On As General Manager of the Ready-To-Eat Beans, Rice, and Sauce Brand

A Dozen Cousins, the brand specializing in ready-to-eat beans, rice and seasoning sauces inspired by traditional Creole, Caribbean, and Latin American recipes, is being acquired by Verde Valle Foods. With more than 16 years in the US, Verde Valle Foods manufactures, sells, and distributes rice and beans and is also home to Isadora, a pioneer in ready-to-eat beans and authentic Mexican meals and the first brand to introduce beans in a pouch. Ibraheem Basir, Founder and CEO of A Dozen Cousins, will continue as General Manager, leading the brand and its growth.

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“I couldn't be more excited to partner with the team at Verde Valle,” said A Dozen Cousins Founder and CEO, Ibraheem Basir. “They are trailblazers in the world of pouched meals, and they are going to dramatically strengthen the supply chain and make it easier to share our products with more people. At the same time, we will be able to invest more in innovation and marketing to continue building a brand that people love.”

Verde Valle Foods is the US subsidiary of Verde Valle. Founded in 1967, Verde Valle is a third-generation family-owned and operated manufacturer of rice, beans, grains, ingredients, and ready-to-eat meals in a pouch. Verde Valle Foods, based in Dallas, Texas, is committed to fresh, high-quality, and authentic ingredients, which makes it a natural fit for A Dozen Cousins. Verde Valle Foods has been at the forefront of innovation in ready-to-eat meals for the last decade.

A Dozen Cousins, launched in 2019, was born from the comforting, flavorful recipes Basir grew up eating with his family after he noticed a gap in the market for authentic cultural foods that were also nutritious. The brand’s flagship seasoned beans have built a loyal following over the years, and their innovative line of rice cooked in bone broth recorded double-digit growth over the last year, while sales in the prepared rice category were flat during that same period.

“A Dozen Cousins fits right into our growth strategy for ready-to-eat meals in a pouch and will allow Verde Valle to further expand into the natural products segment,” said Germán Rosales, Jr., US CEO of Verde Valle Foods. “We are thrilled to have Ibraheem join our business, we can’t wait to work collaboratively and continue to bring delicious, natural products to consumers across the country.”

Following the transaction, A Dozen Cousins will preserve its high ingredient standards, and consumers can expect exciting innovation coming in the next year. A Dozen Cousins’ line of beans, bone broth rices, and seasoning sauces can be found at retailers nationwide including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Fresh Market, Publix, Meijer, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Thrive Market, Wegmans and more. To learn more, visit adozencousins.com and follow @adozencousins.

About A Dozen Cousins

A Dozen Cousins offers a line of ready-to-eat products and seasoning sauces inspired by traditional Creole, Caribbean and Latin American recipes. Founded by Ibraheem Basir, A Dozen Cousins believes in the power of culture to make life richer and bring people together. The brand’s unique products are made with wholesome, easy-to-recognize ingredients like beans, vegetables, and nutrient-dense avocado oil while avoiding GMOs and artificial flavors. A Dozen Cousins makes it possible to enjoy traditional foods without compromising taste, health or convenience.

About Verde Valle

Since 1967 Verde Valle has been dedicated to delighting consumers with healthy and nutritious beans, rice, and grains. The company selects the highest quality ingredients from the US, Mexico and the world to transform dishes into a delicious and authentic experience. Verde Valle’s portfolio of leading brands includes Verde Valle, the #1 selling brand of rice and beans in Mexico, Isadora the #1 selling brand of beans in a pouch in Mexico and the fastest growing refried beans brand in the US in 2024.

SOURCE

Circana: SS RTS RICE, Total US Multi Outlet+, Latest 52 Week Pd Ending 04-20-25

STS Rice All Products $ Sales Change = +0.4%

ADC $ Sales Change = +16.0%

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