Turnkey Fresh and Frozen Food Manufacturing Facility Available for Auction Through Assignee for the Benefit of Creditors of Rustic Crust, Inc.
The Assignee for the Benefit of Creditors of Rustic Crust, Inc. (“Rustic Crust” or the “Assignor”) has officially announced a unique and significant sale opportunity involving a turnkey food manufacturing facility. This offering represents a substantial portion of the Assignor’s operational and physical assets. Managed by DSI Assignments LLC, the auction invites qualified bidders to participate in the acquisition process. Interested parties must submit their formal bids no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
This auction is being conducted as part of an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors (ABC), a court-supervised alternative to bankruptcy often used to efficiently liquidate or restructure a company’s assets. Rustic Crust, a once-prominent producer in the fresh and frozen wood-fired pizza market, executed the assignment on August 28, 2024, effectively transferring its assets to Rustic Crust ABC, a Delaware Series Limited Liability Company designated as the Assignee and Seller for the purposes of this transaction.
Binding Stalking Horse Bid Established
The Assignee has already secured a binding stalking horse bid, which sets the initial benchmark for offers related to the acquisition of the company’s core brand-name production lines and real property assets, collectively referred to as the “Target Assets.” As is standard in such structured sales, the Assignee is now actively soliciting higher or better competing offers in accordance with the terms laid out in the stalking horse asset purchase agreement. All bids will be assessed based on their competitiveness, financial terms, and alignment with the Assignee’s judgment of the Assignor’s best interest.
The assets will be sold on an “as-is, where-is” basis. Only offers that meet the minimum required overbid threshold of $1,375,000 and are made in cash will be considered. Furthermore, prospective buyers must offer terms that are no less favorable than those outlined in the stalking horse bid to be deemed qualified for participation in the final auction process.
A Rare Turnkey Opportunity in Food Manufacturing
This asset sale represents a rare and compelling opportunity for businesses operating in the consumer packaged goods, food manufacturing, private label, and foodservice industries to acquire a fully equipped, high-capacity production facility. Located in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, the site formerly served as the manufacturing backbone of one of the largest wood-fired pizza producers in the United States.
With substantial investment already made into its design and construction, the facility is move-in ready and offers flexible opportunities for continued production in fresh and frozen foods or easy reconfiguration for new food product lines. It is especially appealing for firms seeking immediate operational capability without the lengthy and capital-intensive setup of a new facility.
Detailed Overview of the Facility and Target Assets
The core of the offering is a 28,000-square-foot, custom-built facility constructed in 2014. It was designed from the ground up to accommodate high-efficiency production, storage, and packaging processes in compliance with strict food safety and quality certifications.
Real Property
- Location: Pittsfield, New Hampshire
- Size: 28,000 square feet of deeded industrial space
- Construction Date: 2014
- Facility Design: Tailored for frozen food manufacturing and storage with ample room for workflow efficiency, warehousing, and expansion potential
Production Lines and Equipment
The facility features three production lines with room for future expansion. It is equipped with both custom wood-fired ovens and gas impingement ovens, providing production flexibility for a variety of pizza styles and other baked or par-baked goods.
- Ovens:
- 4 proprietary wood-fired ovens
- 3 Etter impingement gas ovens for uniform, high-speed baking
- Freezing and Cooling Systems:
- G&F Systems spiral freezer
- Ambient spiral cooler to maintain food safety during processing
- Depositing and Topping Equipment:
- 2 Foodjet MDL 800 sauce depositors for precision application
- Parts and Maintenance:
- Comprehensive inventory of spare and replacement parts
- Production Capacity:
- Designed for up to 45 million units annually, making it ideal for high-volume output
Certifications and Compliance
Previously certified for a wide array of food safety and quality programs, the facility has a strong foundation for compliance and scalability:
- Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level II Certification
- USDA Regular Food Safety Grant
- Infrastructure compatible with future USDA Organic and Protein Certifications
This level of regulatory compliance ensures that the facility can be easily re-certified or adapted to meet the quality standards of most major food retailers and distributors.
Who Should Consider Bidding?
This auction presents a strategic opportunity for:
- Established food brands seeking to expand production capacity
- Private equity firms or strategic buyers looking to invest in a ready-made, high-potential manufacturing platform
- Regional food producers seeking to vertically integrate and scale up their operations
- Private label manufacturers interested in an end-to-end solution to fulfill retail partnerships
- Contract manufacturers exploring facility acquisition to support co-packing agreements
The turnkey nature of the facility allows for a fast restart under new ownership, saving months or even years of design, permitting, and construction time, not to mention the capital investment required to replicate such infrastructure from scratch.
The Auction Process: How to Participate
To participate in the bidding process, interested parties must submit a qualified bid no later than Thursday, May 22, 2025, by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
The bidding process is being conducted by DSI Assignments LLC, and interested buyers will be required to meet certain qualification criteria, including financial capabilities and confidentiality terms.
To begin the process:
- Contact the Assignee for access to the Stalking Horse Asset Purchase Agreement, which outlines the specific terms of the baseline offer.
- Execute a confidentiality agreement to gain access to detailed information about the assets, facility, and transaction process.
- Submit a qualified bid meeting or exceeding the minimum overbid amount of $1,375,000, structured as a cash offer with favorable terms comparable to or better than the stalking horse bid.
Once the bids are submitted and reviewed, the Assignee will determine the highest and best offer using their reasonable business judgment, in consultation with stakeholders.
Final Thoughts
The auction of Rustic Crust, Inc.’s manufacturing facility represents a rare convergence of quality, capacity, and immediacy. With production equipment already in place, ample square footage, and existing certifications, this is a turnkey solution tailored to ambitious buyers ready to scale their presence in the highly competitive food manufacturing space. Whether you’re looking to grow an existing brand or enter the market with a ready-to-run facility, this is an opportunity worth serious consideration.
For inquiries and access to bid materials, contact DSI Assignments LLC as soon as possible to begin the qualification process and prepare your submission before the May 22 deadline.
