Barber Foods has been acquired by Ohio-based AdvancePierre Foods and it is expected that the broad network of retailers and distributors of AdvancePierre Foods will help Barber Foods enter new markets, as well as lower operating costs. Top executives declined to discuss the purchase price, noting that both companies are privately held. Bill Toler, CEO of AdvancePierre Foods, said the combined companies will have annual revenue of about $1.5 billion.
Barber Foods, a National Chicken Council allied member, primarily sells prepared chicken dinners to supermarkets and food retailers; club stores, such as Sam’s Club, and institutions such as hospitals, schools, hotels, and the U.S. military. The company employs 650 people. AdvancePierre Foods, based in Cincinnati, has about 4,000 workers. It sells packaged sandwiches, cooked chicken and beef, and other products. The company operates 12 food manufacturing facilities in Oklahoma, Ohio, Iowa, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and it’s customers include convenience stores, supermarkets, schools, and other vendors.
David Barber, Barber Foods president, said the company will continue to operate its Portland, Oregon plant. “Our manufacturing facility will stay here. That was the big positive,” said Barber, adding that he and his sister, who is vice president of national accounts, will remain on staff. “It’s a great cultural fit that feels right,” Barber said.
“We bought Barber Foods because we think we can grow it. Over the long haul, we want to continue to expand. I hope this will be a hugely productive brand for our company,” said Toler. The company plans to upgrade, modernize, and automate Barber’s Portland production plant.
