Ali Group has acquired longtime North American beverage equipment maker Bunn (formerly Bunn-O-Matic). The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
According to Ali Group, Bunn will operate within the Welbilt portfolio of commercial equipment companies as one of the group’s approximately 115 brands. In the coffee equipment sector, Ali Group owns brands including Crem, Egro, Promac, Rancilio and Rancilio Specialty.
The acquisition gives Ali Group a highly recognizable brand in the North American commercial equipment market, as Bunn machines can be readily found on countertops in coffee shops, restaurants, office break rooms, convenience stores and other foodservice environments.
The Bunn headquarters in Springfield, Illinois.
Bunn (styled as “BUNN” by the company) traces its beverage equipment business to the mid-1950s, when George R. Bunn began developing improved drip-brewing systems, including the company’s flat-bottom paper filter and early Gravity Drip commercial brewer. The company, based in Springfield, Illinois, was formally incorporated in 1963 and remained privately held and family-owned through five generations.
“The acquisition of Bunn marks an important step in strengthening Ali Group’s leadership in the global coffee and beverage equipment sector and advancing our long-term growth strategy,” Filippo Berti, Ali Group chairman and CEO, said in the announcement. “Bunn brings a strong heritage, a culture of innovation and a highly complementary portfolio that expands our global capabilities.”
Ali Group, which is based in the Chicago area with a European headquarters in Milan, acquired Italy’s Rancilio Group in 2013, including the Rancilio traditional espresso equipment brand and Swiss Egro superautomatic machine specialist. Under Ali Group ownership, Rancilio launched the Rancilio Specialty brand and equipment line in 2018.
Ali Group describes itself as “the world’s largest group in the foodservice equipment industry” by sales.
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