Synesso Owner Middleby Corporation Acquires Marco Beverage Systems

A Marco Beverage Systems Pour’d tap. 2021 courtesy photo.

Elgin, Illinois-based foodservice equipment giant Middleby Corporation has acquired Marco Beverage Systems, a prominent maker of water heating and coffee brewing systems in the specialty coffee industry. The financial terms of the acquisition are not being made public.

Middleby made its first major play in the specialty coffee industry in 2019 with the acquisition of Seattle-born espresso machine maker Synesso. Marco will be joining Synesso, super-automatic espresso machine brand Concordia Coffee and batch brewer brand Bloomfield in the Middleby Coffee Solutions Group.

“The acquisition of Marco is another step in our commitment to the coffee industry,” Middleby Coffee Solutions Group Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Willbur told DCN. “We feel like they really align well with the other coffee and beverage brands we have in the Middleby family.”

Middleby currently owns more than 100 brands internationally in the foodservice, beverage, food processing, bakery and home appliance categories.

Marco Beverage Systems, meanwhile, is headquartered in Ireland and maintains five other offices, including Marco Beverage Systems US in Seattle. The company makes a range of products targeting the coffee retail industry, including its Jet6 line of batch brewers and the SP9 line of single-cup brewers.

More recently, the company has introduced dispensation systems for cold and fizzy drinks under the Friia name, as well as a cold-brew-specific dispensing system under the Pour’d name. Both those systems involve under-counter components to keep bar tops uncluttered.

According to an announcement from Marco today, management, activities and contacts for Marco Beverage Systems are not being affected by the acquisition. Paul Stack, a past president of the Specialty Coffee Association Board of Directors, is remaining as managing director.

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