Bakalars Sausage Co. has entered into an agreement to acquire the Schweigert brand of hot dogs, natural casing dogs, braunschweiger, summer sausage and breaded chicken products from Wichita, Kansas-based Cargill Turkey & Cooked Meats. Terms of the agreement to be completed in October were not disclosed.
“This is a wonderful addition to our portfolio of specialty meat items, and it provides our bu
siness with another strong regional brand that complements our existing product line while strengthening and expanding our business,” said Mike Bakalars, president of Bakalars Sausage Co. “We are excited about Schweigert’s growth potential and the fact that, like our business, it was fou
nded in the 1930s and it includes an established consumer brand.”
Production will shift from Cargill’s Albert Lea, Minnesota, meat processing facility to the Bakalars plant at La Crosse in Wisconsin, enabling Cargill to expand its remaining operations at Albert Lea. The Schweigert brand was acquired by Cargill in 2008 with its purchase of Willow Brook Foods.
“We are delighted Bakalars will continue the tradition of producing the quality Schweigert products so many consumers have come to love,” stated John Niemann, Cargill Turkey & Cooked Meats president. “Schweigert is a good fit for Bakalars and will provide their firm with incremental growth, while concurrently allowing us to expand other types of processing at Albert Lea to meet customer needs.”
Established in 1935, Bakalars is a regional wholesale meat company that distributes its products to retail and food service outlets throughout the Midwest.
