Smithfield Foods, Inc., Smithfield, Va., signed a non-binding letter of intent to form a 50/50 joint venture with Kansas City Sausage Co., LLC, Kansas City, Mo., and its sister company, Pine Ridge Farms, LLC, Greenville, N.Y.
Chicago-based Peer Foods Group, Inc. acquired Emge Foods, LLC, a Greenville, Ind.-based meat company specializing in retail-branded, high-quality hams, bacon, hot dogs, sausage and a variety of other processed meats.
Seeking to expand its breakfast portfolio, ConAgra Foods will buy Odom's Tennessee Pride, a producer of refrigerated and frozen breakfast sandwiches and sausage.
Johnsonville Sausage teamed up with Kraft Foods and Bertolli Pasta to launch "Italian Inspiration," a recipe contest where consumers can upload a photo and description of their recipe featuring Johnsonville Italian Sausage.
Meat processors AdvancePierre Foods, Cincinnati, and Johnsonville Sausage, Sheboygan Falls, Wis., said they formed a strategic alliance that gives AdvancePierre exclusive foodservice distribution rights for Johnsonville Sausage products.