Local natural, organic brands fare variously in M&A

Steve Savage is no stranger to acquisitions in the health-conscious natural and organic sector; a company he started 31 years ago has been acquired four times. But when a big corporation gobbles up a home-grown brand with lots of brand loyalty, what happens to those brands — and their fans?

“Every acquisition is different,” said Savage, founder and chief executive of Boulder-based 1908 Brands. “Sometimes you’re left alone, and sometimes you’re like Boulder Brands, which no longer exists.”

Boulder Brands, maker of gluten-free products, was acquired in 2016 by Pinnacle Foods, which two years later was bought for $10.9 billion by Conagra…