Coleman Natural partnered with Anheuser-Busch Co., the St. Louis, Mo.-based producer of Budweiser brand beer, to develop beer-infused prepared meats.

Maple Leaf Foods Inc., Canada, signed a definitive agreement to acquire VIAU Foods, a Canada-based producer of premium Italian cooked, dry-cured and charcuterie meats, for $215 million.

Sales of prepared meals turned slightly positive in 2015 after three consecutive years of decline, notching an increase of a little less than 1% on gains for both refrigerated and frozen side dishes, according to an executive summary on prepared meals, produced by Chicago-based Mintel.

Canada-based Maple Leaf Foods closed its Courtland Avenue production facility in Kitchener, Ontario, what is said to be the largest plant in its legacy network.

Maple Leaf Foods provided an update on the completion of its network transition, a strategy that began with the company's primary pork processing operations, and since 2010, has focused on its prepared meats plants and distribution network.

Maple Leaf Foods completed the transfer of production from its facility in Moncton, NB to other facilities in the company's scale prepared meats network.