Bass Brothers Buy Interest in Famous Amos Cookies

The Bass family of Fort Worth, already well in the chips, has purchased a majority interest in Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Wally Amos, the 48-year-old entrepreneur who started the cookie company 10 years ago, said Friday that he is “ecstatic” to have Bass Brothers Enterprises as his partner.

“We were an individual company, hobbling along,” said Amos, who declined to say how much Bass Brothers Enterprises paid in the cash transaction for 51% of his Calabasas-based company. “Their resources can only enhance what we are doing and give us the stability and the strength in the financial community that we never had before.”

Bass Brothers Enterprises also has substantial holdings in Walt Disney Productions and Union Carbide, among other companies.

In addition to being sold in 40 Famous Amos franchises across the United States, the cookies are sold in 8,000 retail outlets. Amos said that, with Bass Brothers Enterprises on board, the company plans to expand its domestic operations and enter the European market.

A spokeswoman for Bass Brothers Enterprises confirmed that the Basses have “an interest” in the cookie company but refused to elaborate.