B&G Foods, Inc. - Annual Report: 2015 (Form 10-K)

Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
PART IV

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2015

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission file number 001-32316

B&G FOODS, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (973) 401-6500

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o    No ý

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o    No ý

         The aggregate market value of the registrant's outstanding shares of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant (assuming for these purposes, but without conceding, that all executive officers and directors are affiliates of the registrant) as of June 27, 2014, the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $1,705,356,898 (based on the $32.55 per share closing price of the registrant's common stock on that date as reported on the New York Stock Exchange).

         As of March 4, 2015, the registrant had 53,758,649 shares of common stock outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

         Selected designated portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement to be filed on or before May 4, 2015 in connection with the registrant's 2015 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this annual report.

Table of Contents

B&G FOODS, INC.

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JANUARY 3, 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

PART I

Item 1.    Business.

Overview

        The terms "B&G Foods," "our," "we" and "us," as used in this report, refer to B&G Foods, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, except where it is clear that the term refers only to the parent company. Throughout this report, we refer to our fiscal years ended January 1, 2011, December 31, 2011, December 29, 2012, December 28, 2013 and January 3, 2015 as "fiscal 2010," "fiscal 2011," "fiscal 2012," "fiscal 2013" and "fiscal 2014," respectively. Our fiscal year is the 52 or 53 week reporting period ending on the Saturday closest to December 31. Fiscal 2014 contained 53 weeks and fiscal 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 each contained 52 weeks.

        B&G Foods manufactures, sells and distributes a diverse portfolio of branded, high quality, shelf-stable food and household products across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Many of our branded products have leading regional or national market shares. In general, we position our products to appeal to the consumer desiring a high quality and reasonably priced product. We complement our branded product retail sales with institutional and food service sales and limited private label sales.

        B&G Foods, including our subsidiaries and predecessors, has been in business for over 120 years. We were incorporated in Delaware on November 25, 1996 under the name B Companies Holdings Corp. On August 11, 1997, we changed our name to B&G Foods Holdings Corp. On October 14, 2004, B&G Foods, Inc., then our wholly owned subsidiary, was merged with and into us and we were renamed B&G Foods, Inc.

        Our company has been built upon a successful track record of both organic and acquisition-related growth. Our goal is to continue to increase sales, profitability and cash flows through organic growth, disciplined acquisitions of complementary branded businesses and new product development. Since 1996, we have successfully acquired and integrated more than 40 brands into our company.

        The table below includes some of the acquisitions we have completed in recent years:

2

Table of Contents

Products and Markets

        The following is a brief description of some of our brands and product lines:

        The Ortega brand has been in existence since 1897; its products span the shelf-stable Mexican food segment including taco shells, tortillas, seasonings, dinner kits, taco sauces, peppers, refried beans, salsas and related food products.

        Pirate Brands, which includes Pirate's Booty, Smart Puffs and Original Tings, originated in 1987 and offers baked, trans fat free and gluten free snacks.

        The Maple Grove Farms of Vermont brand, which originated in 1915, is one of the leading brands of pure maple syrup sold in the United States. Other products under the Maple Grove Farms of Vermont label include a line of gourmet salad dressings, sugar free syrups, marinades, fruit syrups, confections, pancake mixes and organic products.

        The Mrs. Dash brand, which was introduced in 1983 as the original brand in salt-free seasonings, is available in more than a dozen blends. In 2005, the leading brand in salt-free seasonings introduced 6 salt-free marinades. Mrs. Dash's brand essence, "Salt-Free, Flavor-Full," resonates with consumers and underscores the brand's commitment to provide healthy products that fulfill consumers' expectations for taste.

        The Cream of Wheat brand was introduced in 1893 and is among the leading brands and one of the most trusted and widely recognized brands of hot cereals sold in the United States. Cream of Wheat is available in Original, Whole Grain and Maple Brown Sugar stove top, and also in instant packets of Original and other flavors. We also offer Cream of Rice, a gluten-free, rice-based hot cereal.

        The Bear Creek Country Kitchens brand is the leading brand of hearty dry soups in the United States. Bear Creek Country Kitchens also offers a line of savory pasta dishes and hearty rice dishes.

        The Polaner brand was introduced in 1880 and is comprised of a broad array of fruit-based spreads as well as jarred wet spices such as chopped garlic and oregano. Polaner All Fruit is a leading national brand of fruit-juice sweetened fruit spread. The spreads are available in more than a dozen flavors. Polaner Sugar Free preserves are the second leading brand of sugar free preserves nationally.

        The Las Palmas brand originated in 1922 and primarily includes authentic Mexican enchilada sauce, chili sauce and various pepper products.

        The New York Style brand was created in 1985 and now includes Original Bagel Crisps, Mini Bagel Crisps, Pita Chips and Panetini Italian Toast.

        The Bloch & Guggenheimer (B&G) brand originated in 1889, and its pickle, pepper and relish products are a leading brand in the New York metropolitan area. This line consists of shelf-stable pickles, peppers, relishes, olives and other related specialty items.

        The Spring Tree brand originated in 1976 in Brattleboro, Vermont, and consists of pure maple syrup and sugar free syrup.

        The TrueNorth brand was introduced in 2008. TrueNorth nut cluster snacks combine freshly roasted nuts, a dash of sea salt and just a hint of sweetness. TrueNorth varieties include almond pecan crunch, chocolate nut crunch and cashew crunch.

        The Rickland Orchards brand was created in 2012, and its products include Greek yogurt coated granola bars and bites and other Greek yogurt coated snacks.

        The B&M brand was introduced in 1927 and is the original brand of brick-oven baked beans and remains one of the very few authentic baked beans. The B&M line includes a variety of baked beans and brown bread. The B&M brand currently has a leading market share in the New England region.

3

Table of Contents

        The Underwood brand's "Underwood Devil" logo, which was registered in 1870, is believed to be the oldest registered trademark still in use for a prepackaged food product in the United States. Underwood meat spreads, which were introduced in the late 1860s, include deviled ham, white-meat chicken, roast beef, corned beef and liverwurst.

        The Ac'cent brand was introduced in 1947 as a flavor enhancer for meat preparation and is generally used on beef, poultry, fish and vegetables. We believe that Ac'cent is positioned as a unique flavor enhancer that provides food with the "umami" flavor sensation.

        The Emeril's brand was introduced in 2000 under a licensing agreement with celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. We offer a line of pasta sauces, seasonings, cooking stocks, mustards, salsas, pepper sauces, dip mixes and cooking sprays under the Emeril's brand name.

        The Trappey's brand, which was introduced in 1898, has a Louisiana heritage. Trappey's products fall into two major categories—high quality peppers and hot sauces, including Trappey's Red Devil.

        The Grandma's brand of molasses, which was introduced in 1890, is the leading brand of premium-quality molasses sold in the United States. Grandma's molasses products are offered in two distinct styles: Grandma's Original Molasses and Grandma's Robust Molasses.

        The Don Pepino and Sclafani brands originated in 1955 and 1900, respectively, and primarily include pizza and spaghetti sauces, whole and crushed tomatoes and tomato puree.

        The Joan of Arc brand, which originated in 1895, includes a full range of canned beans including kidney, chili and other varieties.

        The Old London brand was created in 1932 and offers a wide variety of flavors available in melba toasts, melba rounds and other snacks. Old London also markets specialty snacks under the Devonsheer and JJ Flats brand names.

        The Static Guard brand, the number one brand name in static elimination sprays, created the anti-static spray category when it was launched in 1978 to fulfill a previously unmet consumer need. The brand's ability to consistently deliver on its promise to "instantly eliminate static cling" has resulted in a loyal consumer following.

        The Cary's brand originated in 1904 and is the oldest brand of pure maple syrup in the United States. Cary's also offers sugar free syrup.

        The Regina brand, which has been in existence since 1949, includes vinegars and cooking wines. Regina products are most commonly used in the preparation of salad dressings as well as in a variety of recipe applications, including sauces, marinades and soups.

        The Baker's Joy brand was introduced in 1982 and is the original brand of no-stick baking spray with flour. Baker's Joy's product proposition has been to "generate a perfect release from the pan every time," making baking easier, faster and more successful for everyday bakers.

        The Sugar Twin brand was developed in 1968 and is a calorie free sugar substitute.

        The Wright's brand was introduced in 1895 and is a seasoning that reproduces the flavor and aroma of pit smoking in meats, chicken and fish. Wright's is offered in three flavors: Hickory, Mesquite and Applewood.

        The Brer Rabbit brand has been in existence since 1907 and currently offers mild and full-flavored molasses as well as blackstrap molasses. Mild molasses is designed for table use and full-flavored molasses is typically used in baking, barbeque sauces and as a breakfast syrup.

        The Sa-són brand was introduced in 1947 as a flavor enhancer used primarily for Puerto Rican and Hispanic food preparation. The product is generally used on beef, poultry, fish and vegetables. The

4

Table of Contents

brand's flavor enhancer is offered in four flavors: Original, Coriander and Achiote, Garlic and Onion, and Tomato. We also offer reduced sodium versions of Sa-són.

        The New York Flatbreads brand is a line of thin, crispy, flavorful crispbread that is available in several toppings.

        The Vermont Maid brand has been in existence since 1919 and we offer maple-flavored syrup under the brand name. Vermont Maid syrup is available in regular, sugar-free and sugar-free butter varieties.

        The Molly McButter brand created the butter-flavored sprinkles category in 1987. Molly McButter is available in butter and cheese flavors.

        The Canoleo brand is the first margarine made from 100% canola oil. It is an all-purpose margarine used for spreading, cooking, and baking.

Processed Food Industry

        The processed food industry is one of the United States' largest industries. It is characterized by relatively stable sales growth, based largely on price and population increases. As large food companies with a presence in a variety of branded product categories seek tighter focus within their businesses, they have shed brands or an entire presence in non-core categories. They have also sold smaller brands to increase focus on the larger brands within their portfolios.

        In the past decade, the retail side of the food industry has seen a continuing shift of sales to alternate food outlets such as supercenters, warehouse clubs, dollar stores and drug stores. This shift has caused consolidation of traditional grocery chains into larger entities, often spanning the country under varying banner names. Consolidation has increased the importance of having a number one or two brand within a category, be that position national or regional. A broad sales and distribution infrastructure has also become critical for food companies, allowing them to reach all outlets selling food to consumers and expanding their growth opportunities.

Sales, Marketing and Distribution.

        Overview.    We sell, market and distribute our products through a multiple-channel sales, marketing and distribution system to all major U.S. food channels, including sales and shipments to supermarkets, mass merchants, warehouse clubs, wholesalers, food service distributors and direct accounts, specialty food distributors, military commissaries and non-food outlets such as drug and dollar store chains. Certain of our brands, including Cream of Wheat, Ac'cent, Crock Pot seasoning mixes, Underwood, Polaner, Static Guard, Mrs. Dash, New York Style, Sugar Twin and Rickland Orchards, are also distributed to similar food channels in Canada. We sell, market and distribute our two household brands through the same sales, marketing and distribution system to many of the same customers who buy our food products as well as to other household product retailers and distributors.

        We sell our products primarily through broker sales networks to supermarket chains, food service outlets, mass merchants, warehouse clubs, non-food outlets and specialty distributors. The broker sales network handles the sale of our products at the retail level.

        Sales.    Our sales organization is aligned by distribution channels and consists of regional sales managers, key account managers and sales persons. Regional sales managers sell our products nationwide through national and regional brokers, with separate organizations focusing on food service, grocery chain accounts and special markets. Our sales managers coordinate our broker sales efforts, make key account calls with buyers or distributors and supervise broker retail coverage of the products at the store level.

        Our sales strategy is centered on individual brands. We allocate promotional spending for each of our brands and our regional sales managers coordinate promotions with customers. Additionally, our

5

Table of Contents

marketing department works in conjunction with the sales department to coordinate special account activities and marketing support, such as couponing, public relations and media advertising.

        We have a national sales force that is capable of supporting our current brands and quickly integrating and supporting any newly acquired brands.

        Marketing.    Our marketing organization is aligned by brand and is responsible for the strategic planning for each of our brands. We focus on deploying promotional dollars where we believe the spending will have the greatest impact on sales. Marketing and trade spending support, on a national basis, typically consists of advertising trade promotions, coupons and cross-promotions with supporting products. Radio, internet, social media and limited television advertising supplement this activity.

        Distribution.    We distribute our products through a multiple-channel system that covers every class of customer nationwide. We believe our distribution system has sufficient capacity to accommodate incremental product volume. See Item 2, "Properties" for a listing of our distribution centers and warehouses.

Customers

        Our top ten customers accounted for approximately 52.4% of our net sales and 51.7% of our end of the year receivables for fiscal 2014. Other than Wal-Mart, which accounted for 19.1% of our fiscal 2014 net sales, no single customer accounted for 10.0% or more of our fiscal 2014 net sales. Other than Wal-Mart, which accounted for 16.7% of our receivables as of the end of fiscal 2014, no single customer accounted for more than 10.0% of our receivables as of the end of fiscal 2014. During fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012, our net sales to foreign countries represented approximately 3.6%, 3.2% and 2.7%, respectively, of our total net sales. Our foreign sales are primarily to customers in Canada.

Seasonality

        Sales of a number of our products tend to be seasonal and may be influenced by holidays, changes in seasons or other annual events. In the aggregate, however, sales of our products are not heavily weighted to any particular quarter due to the offsetting nature of demands for our diversified product portfolio. However, sales during the fourth quarter are generally greater than those of the preceding three quarters.

        We purchase most of the produce used to make our shelf-stable pickles, relishes, peppers, tomatoes and other related specialty items during the months of July through October, and we generally purchase the majority of our maple syrup requirements during the months of April through August. Consequently, our liquidity needs are greatest during these periods.

Competition

        We face competition in each of our product lines. Numerous brands and products compete for shelf space and sales, with competition based primarily on product quality, convenience, price, trade promotion, consumer promotion, brand recognition and loyalty, customer service, advertising and other activities and the ability to identify and satisfy emerging consumer preferences. We compete with numerous companies of varying sizes, including divisions or subsidiaries of larger companies. Many of these competitors have multiple product lines, substantially greater financial and other resources and may have lower fixed costs and/or be substantially less leveraged than we are. Our ability to grow our business could be impacted by the relative effectiveness of, and competitive response to, our product initiatives, product innovation, advertising and promotional activities. In addition, from time to time, we experience margin pressure in certain markets as a result of competitors' pricing practices.

        Our products compete not only against other brands in their respective product categories, but also against products in similar or related product categories. For example, our shelf-stable pickles compete

6

Table of Contents

not only with other brands of shelf-stable pickles, but also with pickle products found in the refrigerated sections of grocery stores, and all our brands compete against private label products to varying degrees.

Raw Materials

        We purchase raw materials, including agricultural products, meat, poultry, flour, other raw materials, ingredients and packaging materials from growers, commodity processors, other food companies and packaging suppliers located in U.S. and foreign locations. The principal raw materials for our products include maple syrup, wheat, corn, nuts, cheese, fruits, beans, tomatoes, peppers, meat, sugar, concentrates, molasses, spices and corn sweeteners. We purchase our agricultural raw materials in bulk or pursuant to short-term supply contracts. We purchase most of our agricultural products between April 1 and October 31. We also use packaging materials, particularly glass jars, cans, cardboard and plastic containers. The profitability of our business relies in substantial part on the prices we and our co-packers pay for these raw materials and packaging materials, which can fluctuate due to a number of factors, including changes in crop size, national, state and local government sponsored agricultural programs, export demand, currency exchange rates, natural disasters, weather conditions during the growing and harvesting seasons, general growing conditions, the effect of insects, plant diseases and fungi, and glass, metal and plastic prices.

        Fluctuations in commodity prices can lead to retail price volatility and intensive price competition, and can influence consumer and trade buying patterns.

        The cost of labor, manufacturing, energy, fuel, packaging materials and other costs related to the production and distribution of our food products can from time to time increase significantly and unexpectedly. We attempt to manage these risks by entering into short-term supply contracts and advance commodities purchase agreements, implementing cost saving measures and raising sales prices. During the past three years, our cost saving measures and sales price increases have substantially offset increases to our raw material, ingredient and packaging costs. To the extent we are unable to offset present and future cost increases, our operating results will be negatively impacted.

Production

        Manufacturing.    We operate seven manufacturing facilities for our products. See Item 2, "Properties" for a listing of our manufacturing facilities.

        Co-Packing Arrangements.    In addition to our own manufacturing facilities, we source a significant portion of our products under "co-packing" arrangements, a common industry practice in which manufacturing is outsourced to other companies. We regularly evaluate our co-packing arrangements to ensure the most cost-effective manufacturing of our products and to utilize company-owned manufacturing facilities most effectively. Third parties located in U.S. and foreign locations produce our Baker's Joy, Bear Creek Country Kitchens, Canoleo, Cream of Rice, Crock Pot, JJ Flats, Joan of Arc, MacDonald's, Mrs. Dash, New York Flatbreads, Pirate Brands, Regina, Rickland Orchards, Spring Tree, Static Guard, Sugar Twin and TrueNorth products and certain B&G, Cary's, Cream of Wheat, Emeril's, Las Palmas and Ortega products under co-packing agreements or purchase orders. Each of our co-packers produces products for other companies as well. We believe that there are alternative sources of co-packing production readily available for the majority of our products, although we may experience short-term disturbances in our operations if we are required to change our co-packing arrangements unexpectedly.

Trademarks and Licensing Agreements

        We consider our trademarks, in the aggregate, to be material to our business. We protect our trademarks by registration in the United States, Canada and in other countries where we sell our

7

Table of Contents

products. We also oppose any infringement in key markets. Trademark protection continues in some countries for as long as the mark is used and in other countries for as long as it is registered. Registrations generally are for renewable, fixed terms. Examples of our trademarks and registered trademarks include Ac'cent, B&G, B&G Sandwich Toppers, B&M, Baker's Joy, Bear Creek Country Kitchens, Brer Rabbit, Canoleo, Cary's, Cream of Rice, Cream of Wheat, Devonsheer, Don Pepino, Emeril's, Grandma's, Greek on the go!, JJ Flats, Joan of Arc, Kleen Guard, Las Palmas, MacDonald's, Maple Grove Farms of Vermont, Molly McButter, Mrs. Dash, New York Flatbreads, New York Style, Old London, Original Tings, Ortega, Pirate's Booty, Polaner, Regina, Rickland Orchards, Sa-són, Sclafani, Smart Puffs, Spring Tree, Static Guard, Sugar Twin, Trappey's, TrueNorth, Underwood, Vermont Maid and Wright's.

        In June 2000 we entered into a license agreement with Emeril's Food of Love Productions, L.L.C. (EFLP). This license agreement grants us an exclusive license to use the intellectual property owned by the licensor relating to Mr. Lagasse, including the name "Emeril Lagasse" and pictures, photographs and other personality material, in connection with the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of dry seasoning, liquid seasoning, condiments, sauces, dressings and certain other products through retail channels in the United States, the Caribbean and Canada. We also have the right of first negotiation with respect to other shelf-stable grocery products. Under the license agreement, the licensor owns all of the recipes that it provides to us and all of our Emeril's brand products and related marketing materials are subject to the prior approval of the licensor, which approval may not be unreasonably withheld. In addition, we are prohibited from entering into similar arrangements with other chefs in connection with any of the products covered by the agreement with the licensor.

        The license agreement has been extended through June 2018 and thereafter is subject to extension and renewal at our option for additional three-year periods if we meet specified annual net sales results. Under the license agreement, we are, among other things, obligated to introduce and market new products in each year of the license agreement and to pay the licensor royalties based on annual net sales of our Emeril's brand products. The license agreement may be terminated by the licensor if we are in breach or default of any of our material obligations thereunder. We have also agreed to indemnify the licensor with respect to claims under the license agreement, including claims relating to any alleged unauthorized use of any mark, personality or recipe by us in connection with the products in the Emeril's line of products.

        In February 2008, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (MSLO) announced that it was acquiring certain assets related to the business of Emeril Lagasse. In connection with the closing of that transaction and with our consent, EFLP assigned its rights under the license agreement to a subsidiary of MSLO.

        From time to time we also enter into other licensing agreements. For example, we sell Cream of Wheat Cinnabon®, a co-branded product, pursuant to a licensing agreement with Cinnabon, Inc. and Crock Pot® Seasoning Mixes pursuant to a licensing agreement with Sunbeam Products, Inc. dba Jarden Consumer Solutions.

Employees and Labor Relations

        As of January 3, 2015, our workforce consisted of 956 employees. Of that total, 743 employees were engaged in manufacturing, 72 were engaged in marketing and sales, 112 were engaged in warehouse and distribution and 29 were engaged in administration. Approximately 34% of our employees, located at three facilities, are covered by collective bargaining agreements. These agreements, which vary in term depending on the location, expire on April 25, 2015 (Portland, Maine; Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, AFL-CIO, Local No. 334), March 31, 2016 (Stoughton, Wisconsin; Drivers, Salesmen, Warehousemen, Milk Processors, Cannery, Dairy Employees and Helpers Union, Local No. 695) and March 31, 2020 (Roseland, New

8

Table of Contents

Jersey; International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers of America, Local No. 863). The collective bargaining agreement covering our Portland facility, which covers approximately 95 employees, is the only collective bargaining agreement expiring in the next twelve months. While we believe that our relations with our union employees are in general good, we cannot assure you that we will be able to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement for our Portland facility on terms satisfactory to us, or at all, and without production interruptions, including labor stoppages. At this time, however, management does not expect that the outcome of these negotiations will have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Government Regulation

        As a manufacturer and marketer of food and household products, our operations are subject to extensive regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the United States Department of Labor, the Environmental Protection Agency and various other federal, state, local and foreign authorities regarding the manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, labeling, sale and distribution of our products and the health and safety of our employees. Our manufacturing facilities and products are subject to periodic inspection by federal, state, local and foreign authorities. In addition, our meat processing operation in Portland, Maine is subject to daily inspection by the USDA.

        We are subject to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Food Safety Modernization Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the FDA. This comprehensive regulatory program governs, among other things, the manufacturing, composition and ingredients, labeling, packaging and safety of food. We are also subject to the U.S. Bio-Terrorism Act of 2002 which imposes on us import and export regulations. Under the Bio-Terrorism Act we are required, among other things, to provide specific information about the food products we ship into the United States and to register our manufacturing, warehouse and distribution facilities with the FDA.

        We believe that we are currently in substantial compliance with all material governmental laws and regulations and maintain all material permits and licenses relating to our operations. Nevertheless, there can be no assurance that we are in full compliance with all such laws and regulations or that we will be able to comply with any future laws and regulations in a cost-effective manner. Failure by us to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject us to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, recalls or seizures, as well as potential criminal sanctions, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Environmental Matters

        We are subject to environmental laws and regulations in the normal course of business. We have not made any material expenditures during the last three fiscal years in order to comply with environmental laws or regulations. Based on our experience to date, we believe that the future cost of compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations (and liability for known environmental conditions) will not have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, we cannot predict what environmental laws or regulations will be enacted in the future or how existing or future laws or regulations will be enforced, administered or interpreted, nor can we predict the amount of future expenditures that may be required in order to comply with such environmental laws or regulations or to respond to such environmental claims.

9

Table of Contents

Available Information

        Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and information statements and other information. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. The SEC maintains an internet site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. We file electronically with the SEC.

        We make available, free of charge, through the investor relations section of our web site, our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and amendments to those reports, filed with or furnished to the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The address for the investor relations section of our web site is http://ir.bgfoods.com.

        The full text of the charters for each of the audit, compensation and nominating and governance committees of our board of directors as well as our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available at the investor relations section of our web site, http://ir.bgfoods.com. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applies to all of our employees, officers and directors, including our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer and principal accounting officer. We intend to disclose any amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our chief executive officer or chief financial officer and principal accounting officer in the investor relations section of our web site.

        The information contained on our web site is not part of, and is not incorporated in, this or any other report we file with or furnish to the SEC.

Item 1A.    Risk Factors.

        Any investment in our company will be subject to risks inherent to our business. Before making an investment decision, investors should carefully consider the risks described below together with all of the other information included in this report. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are not aware of or focused on or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. This report is qualified in its entirety by these risk factors.

        Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. In that case, holders of our securities may lose all or part of their investment.

Risks Specific to Our Company

The packaged food industry is highly competitive.

        The packaged food industry is highly competitive. Numerous brands and products, including private label products, compete for shelf space and sales, with competition based primarily on product quality, convenience, price, trade promotion, brand recognition and loyalty, customer service, effective consumer advertising and promotional activities and the ability to identify and satisfy emerging consumer preferences. We compete with a significant number of companies of varying sizes, including divisions or subsidiaries of larger companies. Many of these competitors have multiple product lines, substantially greater financial and other resources available to them and may have lower fixed costs and/or are substantially less leveraged than our company. If we are unable to continue to compete successfully with these companies or if competitive pressures or other factors cause our products to lose market share or result in significant price erosion, our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity could be materially and adversely affected.

10

Table of Contents

We may be unable to maintain our profitability in the face of a consolidating retail environment.

        Our largest customer, Wal-Mart, accounted for 19.1% of our fiscal 2014 net sales, and our ten largest customers together accounted for approximately 52.4% of our fiscal 2014 net sales. As the retail grocery trade continues to consolidate and our retail customers grow larger and become more sophisticated, our retail customers may demand lower pricing and increased promotional programs. Further, these customers are reducing their inventories and increasing their emphasis on products that hold either the number one or number two market position and private label products. If we fail to use our sales and marketing expertise to maintain our category leadership positions to respond to these trends, or if we lower our prices or increase promotional support of our products and are unable to increase the volume of our products sold, our profitability and financial condition may be adversely affected.

We are vulnerable to decreases in the supply and increases in the price of raw materials and labor, manufacturing, distribution and other costs, and we may not be able to offset increasing costs by increasing prices to our customers.

        We purchase agricultural products, meat, poultry, other raw materials, ingredients and packaging materials from growers, commodity processors, other food companies and packaging manufacturers. Raw materials, ingredients and packaging materials are subject to increases in price attributable to a number of factors, including changes in crop size, federal and state agricultural programs, export demand, currency exchange rates, energy and fuel costs, weather conditions during the growing and harvesting seasons, insects, plant diseases and fungi, and glass, metal and plastic prices. Fluctuations in commodity prices can lead to retail price volatility and intensive price competition, and can influence consumer and trade buying patterns. The cost of labor, manufacturing, energy, fuel, packaging materials and other costs related to the production and distribution of our products can from time to time increase significantly and unexpectedly. We attempt to manage these risks by entering into short-term supply contracts and advance commodities purchase agreements from time to time, by implementing cost saving measures and by raising sales prices. During the past three years, our cost saving measures and sales price increases substantially offset increases to our raw material, ingredient and packaging costs. To the extent we are unable to offset present and future cost increases, our operating results will be negatively impacted.

We may be unable to offset any reduction in net sales in our mature food product categories through an increase in trade spending for these categories or an increase in net sales in other categories.

        Most of our food product categories are mature and certain categories have experienced declining consumption rates from time to time. If consumption rates and sales in our mature food product categories decline, our revenue and operating income may be adversely affected, and we may not be able to offset this decrease in business with increased trade spending or an increase in sales or profitability of other products and product categories.

We may have difficulties integrating future acquisitions or identifying new acquisitions.

        A major part of our strategy is to grow through acquisition and we intend to pursue additional acquisitions of food product lines and businesses. However, we may be unable to identify and consummate additional acquisitions or may be unable to successfully integrate and manage the product lines or businesses that we have recently acquired or may acquire in the future. In addition, we may be unable to achieve a substantial portion of any anticipated cost savings from future acquisitions or other anticipated benefits in the timeframe we anticipate, or at all. Moreover, any acquired product lines or businesses may require a greater than anticipated amount of trade, promotional and capital spending. Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including difficulties in the assimilation of the operations, technologies, services and products of the acquired companies, personnel turnover and the diversion of

11

Table of Contents

management's attention from other business concerns. Any inability by us to integrate and manage any product lines or businesses that we have recently acquired or may acquire in the future in a timely and efficient manner, any inability to achieve a substantial portion of any anticipated cost savings or other anticipated benefits from these acquisitions in the time frame we anticipate or any unanticipated required increases in trade, promotional or capital spending could adversely affect our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Moreover, future acquisitions by us could result in our incurring substantial additional indebtedness, being exposed to contingent liabilities or incurring the impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, all of which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.

We have substantial indebtedness, which could restrict our ability to pay dividends and impact our financing options and liquidity position.

        At January 3, 2015, we had total long-term indebtedness of $1,026.5 million (before debt discount), including $326.5 million principal amount of senior secured indebtedness and $700.0 million principal amount of senior unsecured indebtedness. Our ability to pay dividends is subject to contractual restrictions contained in the instruments governing our indebtedness. Although our credit agreement and the indenture governing our senior notes (which we refer to as the senior notes indenture) contain covenants that restrict our ability to incur debt, as long as we meet these covenants we will be able to incur additional indebtedness. The degree to which we are leveraged on a consolidated basis could have important consequences to the holders of our securities, including:

•

our ability in the future to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures or acquisitions may be limited;



•

we may not be able to refinance our indebtedness on terms acceptable to us or at all;



•

a significant portion of our cash flow is likely to be dedicated to the payment of interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing funds available for future operations, capital expenditures, acquisitions and/or dividends on our common stock; and



•

we may be more vulnerable to economic downturns and be limited in our ability to withstand competitive pressures.

We are subject to restrictive debt covenants and other requirements related to our debt that limit our business flexibility by imposing operating and financial restrictions on our operations.

        The agreements governing our indebtedness impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions prohibit or limit, among other things:

•

the incurrence of additional indebtedness and the issuance of certain preferred stock or redeemable capital stock;



•

the payment of dividends on, and purchase or redemption of, capital stock;



•

a number of restricted payments, including investments;



•

specified sales of assets;



•

specified transactions with affiliates;



•

the creation of certain types of liens;



•

consolidations, mergers and transfers of all or substantially all of our assets; and



•

entry into certain sale and leaseback transactions.

12

Table of Contents

        Our credit agreement requires us to maintain specified financial ratios and satisfy financial condition tests, including, without limitation, a maximum leverage ratio and a minimum interest coverage ratio.

        Our ability to comply with the ratios or tests may be affected by events beyond our control, including prevailing economic, financial and industry conditions. A breach of any of these covenants, or failure to meet or maintain ratios or tests could result in a default under our credit agreement and/or our senior notes indenture. Certain events of default under our credit agreement and our senior notes indenture would prohibit us from paying dividends on our common stock. In addition, upon the occurrence of an event of default under our credit agreement or our senior notes indenture, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the credit agreement and the senior notes, together with accrued interest, to be immediately due and payable. If we were unable to repay those amounts, the credit agreement lenders could proceed against the security granted to them to secure that indebtedness. If the lenders accelerate the payment of the indebtedness, our assets may not be sufficient to repay in full this indebtedness and our other indebtedness.

To service our indebtedness, we require a significant amount of cash. Our ability to generate cash depends on many factors beyond our control.

        Our ability to make interest payments on and to refinance our indebtedness, and to fund planned capital expenditures and potential acquisitions depends on our ability to generate cash flow from operations in the future. This ability, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control.

        A significant portion of our cash flow from operations is dedicated to servicing our debt requirements. In addition, in accordance with our current dividend policy we intend to continue distributing a significant portion of any remaining cash flow to our stockholders as dividends.

        Our ability to continue to expand our business is, to a certain extent, dependent upon our ability to borrow funds under our credit agreement and to obtain other third-party financing, including through the issuance and sale of additional debt or equity securities.

Financial market conditions may impede our access to, or increase the cost of, financing for acquisitions.

        Any future financial market disruptions or tightening of the credit markets, may make it more difficult for us to obtain financing for acquisitions or increase the cost of obtaining financing. In addition, our borrowing costs can be affected by short and long-term debt ratings assigned by independent rating agencies that are based, in significant part, on our performance as measured by credit metrics such as interest coverage and leverage ratios. A decrease in these ratings could increase our cost of borrowing or make it more difficult for us to obtain financing.

Future disruptions in the credit markets or other factors, could impair our ability to refinance our debt upon terms acceptable to us or at all.

        Our $500.0 million revolving credit facility and our $292.5 million of tranche A term loan borrowings mature on June 5, 2019 and our $700.0 million of senior notes mature on June 1, 2021. Our ability to raise debt or equity capital in the public or private markets in order to effect a refinancing of our debt at or prior to maturity could be impaired by various factors, including factors beyond our control. For example, in recent years U.S. credit markets experienced significant dislocations and liquidity disruptions that caused the spreads on prospective debt financings to widen considerably. These circumstances materially impacted liquidity in the debt markets, making financing terms for borrowers less attractive, and in certain cases resulted in the unavailability of certain types of debt financing. Any future uncertainty in the credit markets could negatively impact our ability to access additional debt financing or to refinance existing indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all. In addition,

13

Table of Contents

any future uncertainty in other financial markets in the U.S. could make it more difficult or costly for us to raise capital through the issuance of common stock or other equity securities. Any of these risks could impair our ability to fund our operations or limit our ability to expand our business or increase our interest expense, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

        If we are unable to refinance our indebtedness at or prior to maturity on commercially reasonable terms or at all, we would be forced to seek other alternatives, including:

•

sales of assets;



•

sales of equity; and



•

negotiations with our lenders or noteholders to restructure the applicable debt.

        If we are forced to pursue any of the above options, our business and/or the value of an investment in our securities could be adversely affected.

We rely on co-packers for a significant portion of our manufacturing needs, and the inability to enter into additional or future co-packing agreements may result in our failure to meet customer demand.

        We rely upon co-packers for a significant portion of our manufacturing needs. The success of our business depends, in part, on maintaining a strong sourcing and manufacturing platform. We believe that there are a limited number of competent, high-quality co-packers in the industry, and if we were required to obtain additional or alternative co-packing agreements or arrangements in the future, we can provide no assurance that we would be able to do so on satisfactory terms or in a timely manner. Our inability to enter into satisfactory co-packing agreements could limit our ability to implement our business plan or meet customer demand.

We rely on the performance of major retailers, wholesalers, specialty distributors and mass merchants for the success of our business, and should they perform poorly or give higher priority to other brands or products, our business could be adversely affected.

        We sell our products principally to retail outlets and wholesale distributors including, traditional supermarkets, mass merchants, warehouse clubs, wholesalers, food service distributors and direct accounts, specialty food distributors, military commissaries and non-food outlets such as drug store chains and dollar stores. The replacement by or poor performance of our major wholesalers, retailers or chains or our inability to collect accounts receivable from our customers could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, our customers offer branded and private label products that compete directly with our products for retail shelf space and consumer purchases. Accordingly, there is a risk that our customers may give higher priority to their own products or to the products of our competitors. In the future, our customers may not continue to purchase our products or provide our products with adequate levels of promotional support.

We may be unable to anticipate changes in consumer preferences, which may result in decreased demand for our products.

        Our success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and offer products that appeal to the changing tastes, dietary habits and product packaging preferences of consumers in the market categories in which we compete. If we are not able to anticipate, identify or develop and market products that respond to these changes in consumer preferences, demand for our products may decline and our operating results may be adversely affected. In addition, we may incur significant costs related to developing and marketing new products or expanding our existing product lines in reaction to what we perceive to be increased consumer preference or demand. Such development or marketing may not result in the volume of sales or profitability anticipated.

14

Table of Contents

Severe weather conditions and natural disasters can affect crop supplies and reduce our operating results.

        Severe weather conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, frosts, earthquakes or pestilence, may affect the supply of the raw materials that we use for our products. Our maple syrup products, for instance, are particularly susceptible to severe freezing conditions in Québec, Canada and Vermont during the season in which maple syrup is produced. Competing manufacturers can be affected differently by weather conditions and natural disasters depending on the location of their supplies. If our supplies of raw materials are reduced, we may not be able to find supplemental supply sources on favorable terms or at all, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.

Most of our products are sourced from single manufacturing sites.

        Our products are manufactured at many different manufacturing facilities, including our seven manufacturing facilities and manufacturing facilities operated by our co-packers. However, in most cases, individual products are produced only at a single location. If any of these manufacturing locations experiences a disruption for any reason, including a work stoppage, power failure, fire, or weather related condition or natural disaster, etc., this could result in a significant reduction or elimination of the availability of some of our products. If we were not able to obtain alternate production capability in a timely manner or on satisfactory terms, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Our operations are subject to numerous laws and governmental regulations, exposing us to potential claims and compliance costs that could adversely affect our business.

        Our operations are subject to extensive regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the United States Department of Labor, the Environmental Protection Agency and various other federal, state, local and foreign authorities. We are also subject to U.S. laws affecting operations outside of the United States, including anti-bribery laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Any changes in these laws and regulations, or any changes in how existing or future laws or regulations will be enforced, administered or interpreted could increase the cost of developing, manufacturing and distributing our products or otherwise increase the cost of conducting our business, or expose us to additional risk of liabilities and claims, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. In addition, failure by us to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including future laws and regulations, could subject us to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, recalls or seizures, as well as potential criminal sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. See Item 1, "Business—Government Regulation" and "—Environmental Matters."

Failure by third-party co-packers or suppliers of raw materials to comply with food safety, environmental or other regulations may disrupt our supply of certain products and adversely affect our business.

        We rely on co-packers to produce certain of our products and on other suppliers to supply raw materials. Such co-packers and other suppliers, whether in the United States or outside the United States, are subject to a number of regulations, including food safety and environmental regulations. Failure by any of our co-packers or other suppliers to comply with regulations, or allegations of compliance failure, may disrupt their operations. Disruption of the operations of a co-packer or other suppliers could disrupt our supply of product or raw materials, which could have an adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Additionally, actions we may take to mitigate the impact of any such disruption or potential disruption, including increasing inventory in anticipation of a potential production or supply interruption, may adversely affect our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

15

Table of Contents

A recall of our products could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, we may be subject to significant liability should the consumption of any of our products cause injury, illness or death.

        The sale of food products for human consumption involves the risk of injury to consumers. Such injuries may result from mislabeling, tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination or spoilage, including the presence of foreign objects, substances, chemicals, other agents or residues introduced during the growing, manufacturing, storage, handling or transportation phases of production. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to recall products, leading to a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Even if a situation does not necessitate a recall, product liability claims might be asserted against us. We have from time to time been involved in product liability lawsuits, none of which have been material to our business. While we are subject to governmental inspection and regulations and believe our facilities comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, if the consumption of any of our products causes, or is alleged to have caused, a health-related illness in the future we may become subject to claims or lawsuits relating to such matters. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding any assertion that our products caused injury, illness or death could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate and brand image. Moreover, claims or liabilities of this sort might not be covered by our insurance or by any rights of indemnity or contribution that we may have against others. We maintain product liability insurance and product contamination insurance in amounts we believe to be adequate. However, we cannot assure you that we will not incur claims or liabilities for which we are not insured or that exceed the amount of our insurance coverage. A product liability judgment against us or a product recall or the damage to our reputation resulting therefrom could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Pending and future litigation may lead us to incur significant costs.

        We are, or may become, party to various lawsuits and claims arising in the normal course of business, which may include lawsuits or claims relating to contracts, intellectual property, product recalls, product liability, the marketing and labeling of products, employment matters, environmental matters or other aspects of our business. Even when not merited, the defense of these lawsuits may divert our management's attention, and we may incur significant expenses in defending these lawsuits. In addition, we may be required to pay damage awards or settlements or become subject to injunctions or other equitable remedies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. The outcome of litigation is often difficult to predict, and the outcome of pending or future litigation may have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Consumer concern regarding the safety and quality of food products or health concerns could adversely affect sales of certain of our products.

        If consumers in our principal markets lose confidence in the safety and quality of our food products even without a product liability claim or a product recall, our business could be adversely affected. Consumers have been increasingly focused on food safety and health and wellness with respect to the food products they buy. We have been and will continue to be impacted by publicity concerning the health implications of food products generally, which could negatively influence consumer perception and acceptance of our products and marketing programs. Developments in any of these areas could cause our results to differ materially from results that have been or may be projected.

16

Table of Contents

Risk associated with foreign suppliers and co-packers, including changes in import/export duties, wage rates, political or economic climates, or exchange rates, may adversely affect our operations.

        Our relationships with foreign suppliers and co-packers subject us to the risks of doing business outside the United States. The countries from which we source our products may be subject to political and economic instability, and may periodically enact new or revise existing laws, taxes, duties, quotas, tariffs, currency controls or other restrictions to which we are subject. Our products are subject to import duties and other restrictions, and the U.S. government may periodically impose new or revise existing duties, quotas, tariffs or other restrictions to which we are subject. In addition, changes in respective wage rates among the countries from which we and our competitors source product could substantially impact our competitive position. Changes in exchange rates, import/export duties or relative international wage rates applicable to us or our competitors could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. These changes may impact us in a different manner than our competitors.

A weakening of the U.S. dollar in relation to the Canadian dollar would significantly increase our future costs relating to the production of maple syrup products.

        We purchase a significant majority of our maple syrup requirements from suppliers in Québec, Canada. A weakening of the U.S. dollar in relation to the Canadian dollar would significantly increase our future costs relating to the production of our maple syrup products to the extent we have not purchased Canadian dollars or otherwise entered into a currency hedging arrangement in advance of any such weakening of the U.S. dollar. These increased costs would not be fully offset by the positive impact the change in the relative strength of the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar would have on our net sales in Canada.

Litigation regarding our trademarks and any other proprietary rights and intellectual property infringement claims may have a significant negative impact on our business.

        We maintain an extensive trademark portfolio that we consider to be of significant importance to our business. If the actions we take to establish and protect our trademarks and other proprietary rights are not adequate to prevent imitation of our products by others or to prevent others from seeking to block sales of our products as an alleged violation of their trademarks and proprietary rights, it may be necessary for us to initiate or enter into litigation in the future to enforce our trademark rights or to defend ourselves against claimed infringement of the rights of others. Any legal proceedings could result in an adverse determination that could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

We face risks associated with our defined benefit pension plans and multiemployer pension plan obligations.

        We maintain three defined benefit pension plans that cover substantially all of our employees. A deterioration in the value of plan assets resulting from poor market performance, a general financial downturn or otherwise could cause an increase in the amount of contributions we are required to make to these plans. For example, our defined benefit pension plans may from time to time move from an overfunded to underfunded status driven by decreases in plan asset values that may result from changes in long-term interests rates and disruptions in U.S. or global financial markets. Additionally, historically low interest rates coupled with poor market performance would have the effect of decreasing the funded status of these plans which would result in greater required contributions. For a more detailed description of these plans, see Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies; Use of Estimates—Pension Expense" and Note 12, "Pension Benefits," to our consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

17

Table of Contents

        We also participate in a multiemployer pension plan maintained by the labor union representing certain of our employees at our Portland, Maine facility. We make periodic contributions to this plan pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. In the event that we withdraw from participation in this plan or substantially reduce our participation in this plan (such as due to a workforce reduction), applicable law could require us to make withdrawal liability payments to the plan, and we would have to reflect that liability on our balance sheet. The amount of our withdrawal liability would depend on the extent of this plan's funding of vested benefits at the time of our withdrawal. Furthermore, our withdrawal liability could increase as the number of employers participating in this plan decreases.

        The multiemployer plan, to which we contribute, has significant underfunded liabilities. Due to the level of underfunding, this plan has been determined to be in "critical" status. While this plan is in critical status, we are required to make additional plan contributions until we agree to a new collective bargaining agreement that implements a rehabilitation plan to improve the plan's funded status. Accordingly, our required contributions to this plan may increase substantially when our next collective bargaining agreement is executed.

        For a more detailed description of this multiemployer plan, see Note 12, "Pension Benefits," to our consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

        An obligation to make additional, unanticipated contributions to our defined benefit plans or the multiemployer plan described above could reduce the cash available for working capital and other corporate uses, and may have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations and liquidity.

Our financial well-being could be jeopardized by unforeseen changes in our employees' collective bargaining agreements, shifts in union policy or labor disruptions in the food industry.

        As of January 3, 2015, approximately 34% of our 956 employees were covered by collective bargaining agreements. A prolonged work stoppage or strike at any of our facilities with union employees or a significant work disruption from other labor disputes in the food or related industries could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. We are currently in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the existing collective bargaining agreement for our Portland, Maine manufacturing facility, which covers approximately 95 employees, that is scheduled to expire on April 25, 2015. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement for our Portland facility on terms satisfactory to us, or at all, and without production interruptions, including labor stoppages. If prior to the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement for the Portland facility or prior to the expiration of any of our other existing collective bargaining agreements we are unable to reach new agreements without union action or any such new agreements are not on terms satisfactory to us, our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity could be materially and adversely affected.

We are increasingly dependent on information technology; Disruptions, failures or security breaches of our information technology infrastructure could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

        Information technology is critically important to our business operations. We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit and store electronic and financial information, to manage a variety of business processes and activities, including manufacturing, financial, logistics, sales, marketing and administrative functions. We depend on our information technology infrastructure to communicate internally and externally with employees, customers, suppliers and others. We also use information technology networks and systems to comply with regulatory, legal and tax requirements. These information technology systems, many of which are managed by third

18

Table of Contents

parties or used in connection with shared service centers, may be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components thereof, power outages, hardware failures, computer viruses, attacks by computer hackers or other cybersecurity risks, telecommunication failures, user errors, natural disasters, terrorist attacks or other catastrophic events. If any of our significant information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown, and our disaster recovery and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, our product sales, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected, and we could experience delays in reporting our financial results.

        In addition, if we are unable to prevent physical and electronic break-ins, cyber-attacks and other information security breaches, we may suffer financial and reputational damage, be subject to litigation or incur remediation costs or penalties because of the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information belonging to us or to our partners, customers, suppliers or employees. The mishandling or inappropriate disclosure of non-public sensitive or protected information could lead to the loss of intellectual property, negatively impact planned corporate transactions or damage our reputation and brand image. Misuse, leakage or falsification of legally protected information could also result in a violation of data privacy laws and regulations and have a negative impact on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

If we are unable to retain our key management personnel, our growth and future success may be impaired and our results of operations could suffer as a result.

        Our success depends to a significant degree upon the continued contributions of senior management, certain of whom would be difficult to replace. As a result, departure by members of our senior management could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, we do not maintain key-man life insurance on any of our executive officers.

We are a holding company and we rely on dividends, interest and other payments, advances and transfers of funds from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations.

        We are a holding company, with all of our assets held by our direct and indirect subsidiaries, and we rely on dividends and other payments or distributions from our subsidiaries to meet our debt service obligations and to enable us to pay dividends. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments or distributions to us depends on their respective operating results and may be restricted by, among other things, the laws of their jurisdiction of organization (which may limit the amount of funds available for the payment of dividends), agreements of those subsidiaries, our credit agreement, our senior notes indenture and the covenants of any future outstanding indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur.

Future changes that increase cash taxes payable by us could significantly decrease our future cash flow available to make interest and dividend payments with respect to our securities.

        We are able to amortize goodwill and certain intangible assets within the meaning of Section 197 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. We expect to be able to amortize for tax purposes approximately $651.5 million between 2015 and 2029. The expected annual deductions are approximately $64.5 million per year for fiscal 2015 through 2017, approximately $61.9 million for fiscal 2018, approximately $57.5 million per year for fiscal 2019, approximately $56.2 million for fiscal 2020, approximately $53.3 million for fiscal 2021, approximately $42.3 million for fiscal 2022, approximately $40.1 million per year for fiscal 2023 through 2025, approximately $38.2 million for fiscal 2026, approximately $18.5 million for fiscal 2027, approximately $9.8 million for fiscal 2028 and less than $0.1 million for fiscal 2029. If there is a change in U.S. federal tax policy that reduces any of these available deductions or results in an increase in our corporate tax rate, our cash taxes payable may

19

Table of Contents

increase, which could significantly reduce our future cash and impact our ability to make interest and dividend payments.

A change in the assumptions used to value our goodwill or our unamortizable intangible assets could negatively affect our consolidated results of operations and net worth.

        Our total assets include substantial goodwill and unamortizable intangible assets (trademarks). These assets are tested for impairment at least annually and whenever events or circumstances occur indicating that goodwill or unamortizable intangibles might be impaired. The annual goodwill impairment test involves a two-step process. The first step of the impairment test involves comparing our company's market capitalization with our company's carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying value of our company exceeds our market capitalization, we perform the second step of the impairment test to determine the amount of the impairment loss. The second step of the goodwill impairment test involves comparing the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying value and recognizing a loss for the difference. We test our unamortizable intangibles by comparing the fair value with the carrying value and recognize a loss for the difference. We estimate the fair value of our unamortizable intangibles based on discounted cash flows that reflect certain third party market value indicators. Calculating our fair value for these purposes requires significant estimates and assumptions by management. We completed our annual impairment tests for fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012 with no adjustments to the carrying values of goodwill and unamortizable intangibles. However, an interim impairment analysis relating to our Rickland Orchards brand performed at September 27, 2014, resulted in our company recording non-cash impairment charges to amortizable trademarks and customer relationship intangibles for the Rickland Orchards brand of $26.9 million and $7.3 million, respectively, during fiscal 2014, which is recorded in "Impairment of intangible assets" on the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for fiscal 2014. If operating results for the Rickland Orchards brand continue to deteriorate, or if operating results for any of our other brands, including newly acquired brands, deteriorate, at rates in excess of our current projections, we may be required to record additional non-cash impairment charges to certain intangible assets. In addition, any significant decline in our market capitalization, even if due to macroeconomic factors, could put pressure on the carrying value of our goodwill. A determination that all or a portion of our goodwill or unamortizable intangible assets are impaired, although a non-cash charge to operations, could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition and results of operations.

Any future financial market disruptions or tightening of the credit markets could expose us to additional credit risks from customers and supply risks from suppliers and co-packers.

        Any future financial market disruptions or tightening of the credit markets could result in some of our customers experiencing a significant decline in profits and/or reduced liquidity. A significant adverse change in the financial and/or credit position of a customer could require us to assume greater credit risk relating to that customer and could limit our ability to collect receivables. A significant adverse change in the financial and/or credit position of a supplier or co-packer could result in an interruption of supply. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.

Risks Relating to our Securities

Holders of our common stock may not receive the level of dividends provided for in our dividend policy or any dividends at all.

        Dividend payments are not mandatory or guaranteed and holders of our common stock do not have any legal right to receive, or require us to pay, dividends. Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, decrease the level of dividends provided for in our dividend policy or entirely discontinue the payment of dividends. Future dividends with respect to shares of our capital stock, if any, depend

20

Table of Contents

on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions (including restrictions in our credit agreement and senior notes indenture), business opportunities, provisions of applicable law (including certain provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law) and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

        If our cash flows from operating activities were to fall below our minimum expectations (or if our assumptions as to capital expenditures or interest expense were too low or our assumptions as to the sufficiency of our revolving credit facility to finance our working capital needs were to prove incorrect), we may need either to reduce or eliminate dividends or, to the extent permitted under our credit agreement and senior notes indenture, fund a portion of our dividends with borrowings or from other sources. If we were to use working capital or permanent borrowings to fund dividends, we would have less cash and/or borrowing capacity available for future dividends and other purposes, which could negatively impact our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and ability to maintain or expand our business.

Our dividend policy may negatively impact our ability to finance capital expenditures, operations or acquisition opportunities.

        Under our dividend policy, a substantial portion of our cash generated by our business in excess of operating needs, interest and principal payments on indebtedness, and capital expenditures sufficient to maintain our properties and assets is in general distributed as regular quarterly cash dividends to the holders of our common stock. As a result, we may not retain a sufficient amount of cash to finance growth opportunities or unanticipated capital expenditure needs or to fund our operations in the event of a significant business downturn. We may have to forego growth opportunities or capital expenditures that would otherwise be necessary or desirable if we do not find alternative sources of financing. If we do not have sufficient cash for these purposes, our financial condition and our business will suffer.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue without stockholder approval preferred stock that may be senior to our common stock in certain respects.

        Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of preferred stock without stockholder approval and, in the case of preferred stock, upon such terms as the board of directors may determine. The rights of the holders of shares of our common stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of holders of any class or series of preferred stock that may be issued in the future, including any preferential rights that we may grant to the holders of preferred stock. The terms of any preferred stock we issue may place restrictions on the payment of dividends to the holders of our common stock. If we issue preferred stock that is senior to our common stock in right of dividend payment, and our cash flows from operating activities or surplus are insufficient to support dividend payments to the holders of preferred stock, on the one hand, and to the holders common stock, on the other hand, we may be forced to reduce or eliminate dividends to the holders of our common stock.

Future sales or the possibility of future sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock may depress the price of our common stock.

        We may issue shares of our common stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock from time to time in future financings or as consideration for future acquisitions and investments. In the event any such future financing, acquisition or investment is significant, the number of shares of our common stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock that we may issue may in turn be significant. In addition, we may grant registration rights covering shares of our common stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, as applicable, issued in connection with any such future financing, acquisitions and investments.

21

Table of Contents

        Future sales or the availability for sale of a substantial number of shares of our common stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, whether issued and sold pursuant to our currently effective shelf registration statement or otherwise, would dilute our earnings per share and the voting power of each share of common stock outstanding prior to such sale or distribution, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our securities and could impair our ability to raise capital through future sales of our securities.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and several other factors could limit another party's ability to acquire us and deprive our investors of the opportunity to obtain a takeover premium for their securities.

        Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain certain provisions that may make it difficult for another company to acquire us and for holders of our securities to receive any related takeover premium for their securities. For example, our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of preferred stock without stockholder approval and upon such terms as the board of directors may determine. The rights of the holders of shares of our common stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of holders of any class or series of preferred stock that may be issued in the future.

Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments.

        None.

Item 2.    Properties.

        Our corporate headquarters are located at Four Gatehall Drive, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Our manufacturing facilities are generally located near major customer markets and raw materials. Of our seven manufacturing facilities, six are owned and one is leased. Management believes that our manufacturing facilities have sufficient capacity to accommodate our planned growth. Listed below are our manufacturing facilities and the principal warehouses, distribution centers and offices that we own or lease.

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings.

        The information set forth under the heading "Legal Proceedings" in Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 4.    Mine Safety Disclosures.

        Not applicable.

22

Table of Contents

PART II

Item 5.    Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market Information

        Shares of our common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BGS" and have been so traded since May 23, 2007. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices of shares of our common stock for each of the quarterly periods indicated.

Holders

        According to the records of our transfer agent, we had 58 holders of record of our common stock as of February 20, 2015, including Cede & Co. as nominee for The Depository Trust Company (DTC). Cede & Co. as nominee for DTC holds shares of our common stock on behalf of participants in the DTC system, which in turn hold the shares of common stock on behalf of beneficial owners.

Performance Graph

        Set forth below is a line graph comparing the change in the cumulative total shareholder return on our company's common stock with the cumulative total return of the Russell 2000 Index and the S&P Packaged Foods & Meats Index for the period from January 2, 2010 to January 3, 2015, assuming the investment of $100 on January 2, 2010 and the reinvestment of dividends. The common stock price performance shown on the graph only reflects the change in our company's common stock price relative to the noted indices and is not necessarily indicative of future price performance.

23

Table of Contents

Comparison of 5 Year Cumulative Total Return
Among B&G Foods, Inc. Common Stock, the Russell 2000 Index
and the S&P Packaged Foods & Meats Index

Dividend Policy

General

        Our dividend policy reflects a basic judgment that our stockholders would be better served if we distributed a substantial portion of our cash available to pay dividends to them instead of retaining it in our business. Under this policy, a substantial portion of the cash generated by our company in excess of operating needs, interest and principal payments on indebtedness, capital expenditures sufficient to maintain our properties and other assets is distributed as regular quarterly cash dividends to the holders of our common stock and not retained by us. We have paid dividends every quarter since our initial public offering in October 2004.

        For fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013, we had cash flows from operating activities of $99.1 million and $114.9 million, respectively, and distributed $72.4 million and $62.8 million as dividends, respectively. At our current dividend rate of $1.36 per share per annum, we expect our aggregate dividend payments in 2015 to be approximately $73.1 million.

24

Table of Contents

        The following table sets forth the dividends per share we have declared in each of the quarterly periods of 2014 and 2013:

        Under U.S. federal income tax law, distributions to holders of our common stock are taxable to the extent they are paid out of current or accumulated earnings and profits. Generally, the portion of the distribution treated as a return of capital should reduce the tax basis in the shares of common stock up to a holder's adjusted basis in the common stock, with any excess treated as capital gains. Qualifying dividend income and the return of capital, if any, will be allocated on a pro-forma basis to all distributions for each fiscal year. Based on U.S. federal income tax laws, B&G Foods has determined that for fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013, 66.6% and 75.8%, respectively, of distributions paid on common stock will be treated as a return of capital and 33.4% and 24.2%, respectively, will be treated as a taxable dividend paid from earnings and profits.

        Our dividend policy is based upon our current assessment of our business and the environment in which we operate, and that assessment could change based on competitive or other developments (which could, for example, increase our need for capital expenditures or working capital), new acquisition opportunities or other factors. Our board of directors is free to depart from or change our dividend policy at any time and could do so, for example, if it was to determine that we have insufficient cash to take advantage of growth opportunities.

Restrictions on Dividend Payments

        Our ability to pay future dividends, if any, with respect to shares of our capital stock will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions, provisions of applicable law and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Under Delaware law, our board of directors may declare dividends only to the extent of our "surplus" (which is defined as total assets at fair market value minus total liabilities, minus statutory capital), or if there is no surplus, out of our net profits for the then current and/or immediately preceding fiscal years. Our board of directors will periodically and from time to time assess the appropriateness of the then current dividend policy before actually declaring any dividends.

        In general, our senior notes indenture restricts our ability to declare and pay dividends on our common stock as follows:

•

we may use up to 100% of our excess cash (as defined below) for the period (taken as one accounting period) from and including March 31, 2013 to the end of our most recent fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such payments, plus certain incremental funds described in the indenture for the payment of dividends so long as the fixed charge coverage ratio for the four most recent fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available is not less than 1.6 to 1.0; and



•

we may not pay any dividends on any dividend payment date if a default or event of default under our indenture has occurred or is continuing.

        Excess cash is defined in our senior notes indenture and under the terms of our credit agreement. Excess cash is calculated as "consolidated cash flow," as defined in the indenture and under the terms of our credit agreement (which, in each case, allows for certain adjustments and which is equivalent to the term adjusted EBITDA), minus the sum of cash tax expense, cash interest expense, certain capital

25

Table of Contents

expenditures, excess tax benefit from issuance of LTIA shares, certain repayment of indebtedness and the cash portion of the restructuring charges.

        In addition, the terms of our credit agreement also restrict our ability to declare and pay dividends on our common stock. In accordance with the terms of our credit agreement, we are not permitted to declare or pay dividends unless we are permitted to do so under our senior notes indenture. In addition, our credit agreement does not permit us to pay dividends unless we maintain:

•

a "consolidated interest coverage ratio" (defined as the ratio of our adjusted EBITDA for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters to our consolidated interest expense for such period payable in cash) of not less than 1.75 to 1.0; and



•

a "consolidated total leverage ratio" (defined as the ratio of our consolidated total debt, as of the last day of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters to our adjusted EBITDA for such period) of not more than 7.00 to 1.00 through the fourth quarter of 2015; 6.75 to 1.00 for the first quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2016; and 6.50 to 1.00 for the first quarter of 2017 and thereafter.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

        We did not issue any unregistered securities in fiscal 2014.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

        We did not repurchase any shares of our common stock during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.

26

Table of Contents

Item 6.    Selected Financial Data.

        The following selected historical consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes to those statements included in this report. The selected historical consolidated financial data as of and for the years ended January 3, 2015 (fiscal 2014), December 28, 2013 (fiscal 2013), December 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), December 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011) and January 1, 2011 (fiscal 2010) have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements.

27

Table of Contents

28

Table of Contents

29

Table of Contents