The Robert D. and Lillian D. Zacky Trust, who in late January revealed plans to purchase the majority of Zacky Farms’ assets, has evidently backed out of the pending deal, paving the way for Pitman Family Farms to become the new owner of the vertically-integrated poultry production company.
The family trust provided a $71 million loan to keep afloat the poultry processor that bears the family name. The trust originally submitted the winning $31.6 million bid for the Zacky Farms assets after the company’s October bankruptcy filing.
But new bankruptcy court documents filed show the trust backing out. So the company will ask the court to go with the backup bid from Pitman Family Farms, which offered up to $32.1 million.
According to its bid, Pitman, which sells its products under the Mary's Free Range Chickens brand, didn't plan to rehire Zacky's 1,500 workers in operations in Fresno, Tulare, Kings, San Joaquin and Los Angeles counties, the Fresno Business Journal reported. Pitman has asked for additional time to close to sale until February 15, which would require The Robert D. and Lillian D. Zacky Trust to fund operations until that time.
Pitman Family Farms is a third-generation poultry company that originated in 1954. It is based out of Sanger, Calif.
