Hormel Foods to Acquire Brakebush Brothers for $1.055 Billion

Hormel Foods (HRL) announced a definitive agreement on September 30, 2026, to acquire family-owned value-added chicken processor Brakebush Brothers for approximately $1.055 billion, expanding its foodservice footprint. Brakebush, founded in 1925 and based in Westfield, Wisconsin, generated roughly $1.2 billion in net sales over the past 12 months and operates five production facilities plus two R&D labs. Hormel said the deal adds scale, customer reach, and category expertise to its Foodservice segment, where Brakebush's results will be reported. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of Hormel's fiscal 2027, pending regulatory approval. Hormel will fund the purchase with existing cash and new debt, and expects the deal to contribute positively to adjusted earnings per share starting in fiscal 2028.