Verde Valle Foods has acquired A Dozen Cousins, a fast-growing player among natural food brands, known for its ready-to-eat beans, rice, and seasoning sauces rooted in Creole, Caribbean, and Latin American traditions.
The acquisition gives Verde Valle, already a key manufacturer of rice and beans across Mexico and the United States, a stronger position in the U.S. natural food market. A Dozen Cousins will maintain its identity, while founder Ibraheem Basir continues to lead the brand as General Manager.
Shared Values Drive the Deal
“I couldn’t be more excited to partner with the team at Verde Valle,” said Basir. “They are trailblazers in pouched meals and will dramatically strengthen our supply chain and innovation capabilities.”
Founded in 2019, A Dozen Cousins was created out of Basir’s desire to see more nutritious and culturally inspired products on store shelves. The company quickly earned a loyal following with its seasoned beans and rice cooked in bone broth, both of which appeal to today’s health-focused consumers.
The brand achieved double-digit growth over the past year, even as broader sales in the prepared rice category remained flat.
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Verde Valle Foods Targets Growth in Natural Food Brands
Verde Valle Foods is the U.S. arm of Verde Valle, a third-generation, family-owned company founded in Mexico in 1967. Its Dallas-based subsidiary manufactures and distributes beans, rice, grains, and pouch-based ready meals.
The company is best known for Isadora, a pioneer in ready-to-eat beans and Mexico’s leading pouched bean brand. By acquiring A Dozen Cousins, Verde Valle expands its reach into high-demand natural food brands with strong cultural storytelling.
“A Dozen Cousins fits perfectly into our growth strategy for natural and ready-to-eat meals,” said Germán Rosales Jr., CEO of Verde Valle Foods in the U.S. “We’re excited to welcome Ibraheem to our team and look forward to building something bigger together.”
Natural Food Brands Meet Evolving Consumer Expectations
Today’s consumers are seeking clean-label, minimally processed options that reflect global flavor traditions. A Dozen Cousins’ products, made with whole ingredients like beans, vegetables, and avocado oil, respond directly to that trend.
The brand also avoids GMOs, artificial flavors, and synthetic additives, which are critical criteria for shoppers loyal to natural food brands.
Under Verde Valle’s ownership, A Dozen Cousins will continue to uphold its ingredient standards while ramping up new product development and marketing initiatives.
National Distribution, Greater Scale
A Dozen Cousins’ lineup is already available at major U.S. retailers, including Walmart, Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Publix, Sprouts, and Thrive Market.
The brand aims to reach more households nationwide with improved distribution and supply chain resources from Verde Valle Foods.
No immediate changes to product availability or formulations are expected. Consumers can continue purchasing the full line of beans, bone broth, rice, and sauces both in stores and online.