TILLSONBURG, ONTARIO — Swander Pace Capital has invested in Inovata Foods Corp., a private label manufacturer of globally inspired frozen entrees. Inovata, formerly Pasta Mill Ltd., was founded by Steve and Lisa Parsons in 1989 and began producing fresh pasta before transitioning to frozen entrees in 2007.

Inovata operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada and sells its products in Canada and the United States for retail, club store and foodservice.

“The partnership with Swander Pace Capital will allow us to accelerate our execution efforts and continue to deliver best-in-class quality,” said Chad Parsons, chief executive officer of Inovata Foods.

Steve Parsons, founder of Inovata Foods, added, “Selecting the right partner was crucial for us, and we deliberately chose Swander Pace Capital due to their proven track record and shared values and vision for growth. I am incredibly proud of the Inovata Foods team and all we have accomplished since our inception in 1989. I am confident that partnering with SPC will accelerate our capacity expansion plans, enabling us to provide even more quality products to our valued customers.”

Inovata is Swander’s tenth investment in Canada, according to the company. Other Canadian investments include Voortman Cookies, Recochem, Kicking Horse Coffee, Lavo, Pineridge Bakery and Liberté.

Swander also said it partners with Vancouver-based Asian-inspired food manufacturer Fine Choice Foods Ltd., who sells under the Summ! brand in North America and Quebec-based bakery St-Méthode Bakery.

“As the demand for premium private label meal solutions continues to grow, we see Inovata as the ideal platform to capitalize on these trends,” said Tyler Matlock, managing director at SPC. “With extensive experience in private label and food manufacturing throughout North America, we believe we are uniquely positioned to help foster Inovata’s growth and leadership position in the industry.”