Cooper Farms is expanding its egg business, as the company announced its intent to purchase the assets of Hemmelgarn & Sons.
The two companies have signed an agreement in which Cooper Farms will purchase an egg grading and packaging plant, located in Philothea, Ohio; a feed mill, located in Union City, Ohio; 1.6 million hens, cared for by 12 contract farmers; as well as a trucking fleet and nearly 300 acres of land.
“We are excited about this opportunity to continue to grow the table egg portion of our company,” said Gary Cooper, chief operating officer of Cooper Farms. “Hemmelgarn is a good company that has a value system much like our own, making this a natural fit for all parties.”
According to a press release from Cooper Farms, the two companies are known for their dedication to their team members, contract farmers and the community as a whole.
“They really treat their people right and have a breadth of knowledge of the egg business as a whole,” said Cooper.
Tad Gross, Hemmelgarn & Sons current owner, intends to join the Cooper Farms team upon closing.
“Tad’s leadership and 50 years of experience in the shell egg business will be vital to a smooth transition for all parties involved,” said Jeff Cutler, Cooper Farms Egg Division Manager. “We intend to keep their leaders and team members on board, and continue expanding the solid business Tad has built through the years.”
The acquisition would bring Cooper Farms’ flock to about 4.8 million hens. According to the Egg Industry Top Egg Companies survey, Cooper Farms is presently the 30th largest egg company in the United States.
A diversified company, Cooper Farms is also involved in pig production and turkey production. The WATT PoultryUSA Top Poultry Companies survey lists Cooper Farms as the ninth largest turkey company in the country, having processed 265 million pounds of turkey in 2018.
