metro >> on the cover DEBBIE AND JERRY GLASSMANJ Sold! ON YOUR 65TH ANNIVERSARY! Campbell Soup Co. buys Garden Fresh. Ryan Fishman I Contributing Writer Health and Happiness to you always! Love, Lenore, George, Judy and Our Crew! 2015170 2015 Audi A3 2.0T quattro Premium $325 Audi Truth in Engineering MO* 36 mo. Lease Annette and Jack Aronson Audi Siiimaota ta74 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Jc Rick Ze rner 419-8242514' ' Audi Magna Society Audi Sylvania 5570 Monroe St. I Sylvania, OH www.sylvaniaaudi.com '$1,395 due at signing, plus taxes, title, options & dealer charges. $0 security deposit. Includes a $600 Summer of Audi bonus for qualified customers who lease through AFS. Lessee responsible for 250/mi. over 30,000 miles. Subject to credit approval. See Audi Sylvania for complete details. Offer expires 6/30/15. Memory Care Community 24005 West 13 Mile Road Bingham Farms, MI 48025 (248) 644-8100 10 June 25 • 2015 JN While Campbell and Garden Fresh proudly announced the sale earlier this month, it was no easy decision for the Aronsons. Their partner Dave Zilko, vice chairman of operations, recalled watching Annette Aronson break into tears when the initial offer was made to purchase their family business. The Aronson's son Trevor, 41, will stay on as director of operations for the Ferndale facility, but told the Detroit Free Press he was "sad to think about one day walking into the plant and actually not [being] an owner:' But with sadness, there's also excitement, he explained, adding they expect Campbell to take the company "to the next level ... it's going to be big:' Following the sale, the Aronsons plan to continue their community involvement by establishing their own private foundation. Campbell Fresh expects $1 billion in additional sales from the aquisi- tion. Annual sales for the Camden, N.J.-headquartered Campbell Soup are more than $8 billion. In 2012, the Campbell Fresh division acquired Bolthouse Farms, another Michigan company, known for its production of dressings, juices and smoothies, though those operations were relo- cated from the west side of the state to California. Aronson and Zilko have said Campbell Fresh has no plans to move operations outside of Michigan, but a key goal for the company's growth model is to broaden sales beyond the Midwest to both coasts. Within just hours of the public announcement, Campbell began extending offers to current employ- ees for hire under the new corporate umbrella. Employees are expected to see a more generous benefit package and ensured long-term job security with the support of a Fortune 500 company. Campbell has announced it hopes to double Garden Fresh sales in just three years. The sale is expected to finalize in August. Campbell will fund the acqui- sition in an all-cash deal. ❑