Tyson Foods has decided to divest of Golden Island Jerky Co., selling the business to Jack Link’s Beef Jerky.
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“The decision to sell the business was a very difficult one. It’s important to know it was based on a combination of factors including our ability to generate profitable growth in the business and our need to focus on, and invest in, strategic growth priorities where we are competitively advantaged,” Tyson Foods spokesman Worth Sparkman said in an email.
While the business is being sold, a Golden Island Jerky production facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California, will be closed. Tyson had leased the facility from another company. A notice on the California Employment Development Department (EDD) stated that the EDD received notification of the facility’s pending permanent closure on December 16. A total of 371 employees were affected.
In a statement issued to Talk Business, Jack Link’s said: “As the category leader, we feel that it’s our job to make the category more relevant to more people. Jack Link’s offers more than 300 premium protein snacks in a variety of flavors, proteins, sizes, price points and shopping locations, appealing to nearly every consumer occasion. This acquisition allows us to expand our presence and reach consumers in new ways.”
Founded in 1986 by John “Jack” Link in Minong, Wisconsin, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky operates facilities in Minong, as well as in New Glarus, Wisconsin; Alpena, South Dakota; Mankato, Minnesota; Laurens, Iowa; and Bellevue, Nebraska, according to Wikipedia.
Tyson Foods, according to the WATT PoultryUSA Top Companies rankings, is the largest broiler company in the United States and the fifth largest turkey company in the country. Tyson Foods is also a leading producer of beef and pork products, and the company has recently entered the plant-based protein sector.
