MINONG, Wis. and LONDON – Jack Link’s will purchase Unilever’s meat snacks business, primarily sold under the BiFi brand in Germany, Benelux, Austria and Switzerland, and the Peperami brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
While terms of the deal were not disclosed, the sale is expected to close by the end of March. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, also includes a manufacturing facility in Ansbach, Germany.
According to Troy Link, CEO of Jack Link’s, the company’s mission is to be the No. 1 provider of branded meat snacks worldwide.
“This is an important step in delivering on that mission, and we are excited to welcome the BiFi and Peperami brands into the family,” he said. “These brands continue to drive growth in meat snacks in their respective territories, and we look forward to working with all of our team members and retail partners to continue that success.”
Jan Zijderveld, president of Unilever Europe, added: “Bifi and Peperami are two iconic local brands. As we continue to sharpen our portfolio to deliver sustainable growth for Unilever, we believe that the potential of these two brands can now be more fully realized with Jack Link’s.”
Headquartered in Minong, Wis., Jack Link’s is the No. 1 U.S. meat snack brand and fastest-growing meat snack manufacturer worldwide, according to the company.
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of food, home and personal care products, with sales in more than 190 countries.