DineWise Acquires Home Bistro

Gourmet Foods Merchant Home Bistro Foods is Back in Business: Rival prepared-foods merchant DineWise bought the company out of Chapter 11 on June 11.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but DineWise did get Home Bistro’s customers, prepared meal inventory, confidential gourmet recipes and intellectual property.

“The brand will remain, as will the Home Bistro product lines,” said Thomas McNeil, DineWise’s vice president/chief financial officer in a statement. DineWise will move Home Bistro’s operations to its Farmingdale, NY, headquarters, McNeil said.

Both companies prepare and distribute prepared foods for convenience, but DineWise targets consumers with diabetic, low-sodium, weight-loss, low-carb and vegetarian-diet needs, and senior lifestyles. Home Bistro specializes in chef-prepared frozen meals, soups and appetizers, including some light and low-carb selections.

Home Bistro, which launched in 1999, filed for Chapter 11 on March 20. It tried to stay in business as it reorganized, but suspended operations on April 22.