Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP served as legal counsel to Thanasi Foods LLC and BIGS LLC. Havlick told NOSH that hes excited to join the Conagra family both personally and professionally. Dukes products are made in small batches with quality ingredients and authentic hardwood smoke pairings. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Thanasi founder Justin Duke Havlick, along with his 64 employees, will remain on with Boulder, Colo.-based company. This is an incredibly exciting time for our brands and our team, and we are looking forward to working with the Conagra Brands team on the next chapter in our journey to take Duke's and BIGS to another level." Duke's products are made in small batches with quality ingredients and authentic hardwood smoke pairings. Business Wire Encore Consumer Capital, a private equity firm that invests exclusively in leading consumer products companies, has completed the sale of Thanasi Foods, marketer of the Dukes and BIGS snack brands, to Conagra Brands, one of North Americas leading branded food companies. Financial terms were not disclosed. Their jerky is advertised to be made in small batches, and is smoked using real hardwoods, not "liquid lumber" in their words. Conagra Brands was formed in fall 2016 when Conagra Foods separated its two businesses, consumer brands and frozen potatoes, into the Conagra Brands and Lamb Weston companies, respectively. But theres much that Thanasi can bring to Conagra as well. 600: Hand-hung and slow-dried for days in small limited-size batches. The transaction, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close this summer.The decision to be acquired stemmed from the high growth that Thanasi has seen in both of its brands, said Greg O . (415) 296-9850, directions About DUKE's Shorty Sausages . Dangerous Processor Shut Down; Boeing 747 Junked; Lightning Battery Fire | Today in Manufacturing Ep. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. The in-your-face, delicious Cayenne Jerky exudes big flavor and strongpepper notes. Tbilisi, Georgia 0179 The FINANCIAL. Jensen Werley Greg O'Neal, left, is vice president of marketing, and Justin Havlick is founder and chief executive of Thanasi Foods, creator of Duke's meat snacks and BIGS seeds. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company. document.getElementById("eeb-49608-174680").innerHTML = eval(decodeURIComponent("%27%69%6e%66%6f%40%65%6e%63%6f%72%65%63%6f%6e%73%75%6d%65%72%63%61%70%69%74%61%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%27"))*protected email*. Conagra Conagra Brands, Inc. All Rights Reserved. data. Meanwhile, San Francisco-based private equity firm Encore Consumer Capital has invested in Boulder, Colo.-based Thanasi Foods, parent of Duke's Jerky. Encore Consumer Capital, a private equity firm that invests exclusively in leading consumer products companies, has completed the sale of Thanasi Foods, marketer of the Duke' s and BIGS snack brands, to Conagra Brands, one of North America' s leading branded food companies. The valley's cooler climate helps our local farmer friends produce chiles with an . Duke's Grass-Fed Beef Brisket Sea Salt & Pepper . This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The smooth, malty sweetness of the Milk Stout balances the smoky bourbon glaze, leaving your palatewith a velvety mouthful, perfect for a night by the fire. BTW, Duke's Shorty is delicious as well, although it was not part of the . - Justin Duke Havlick. No MSG. Take off your hats and salute Old Glory;the Stranger Pale Ale and Spicy BBQ are an all-American grand slam. BIGS produces a line of premium seed snacks, including jumbo in-shell sunflower seeds, sunflower seed kernels and roasted pumpkin seeds. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing, This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. The food giant adds the meat snacks maker to its pantry, expanding its presence in the natural and organic food category. Manufacturer and distributor of packaged snack foods, Founder of beef jerky empire buys Hawaii estate, Conagra Brands Completes Acquisition Of Thanasi, Thanasi Founder Talks Conagra Acquisition, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thanasi_Foods&oldid=1108944838, Manufacturing companies based in Boulder, Colorado, Food and drink companies based in Colorado, Food and drink companies established in 2004, Snack food manufacturers of the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 September 2022, at 03:39. dukesmeat.com. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. CAG) About Duke's Smoked Meats Join Facebook to connect with Justin Duke and others you may know. This batch was freshly crafted with Honey & Barrel-Aged Bourbon. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Thanasi founder Justin "Duke" Havlick, along with his 64 employees, will remain on with Boulder, Colo.-based company. Thanasi Foods is a manufacturer and distributor of packaged snack foods. Thanasi Foods is a manufacturer and distributor of packaged snack foods. 1. This website uses cookies. Now, see where he invests his money and why. The Duke's jerky brand name was started in 2004 by Justin Havlick, aka "Duke". The strips are smoked slowly until they reaches a level of utmost tenderness and replicate a fall-off-the-bone feel and taste. Dukes is a fast-growing premium meat snack brand, with products including Dukes Smoked Shorty Sausages and Dukes Steak & Brisket Strips. U. p until 2007 or so, the jerky and snack meat market was mostly shared between four major players. Thanasi was founded in 2004 by Justin "Duke" Havlick. An ideal partnership that helped solidify our strategic sale to Conagra!" Thanasi Foods Founder & CEO, Justin "Duke" Havlick Prev All Next BIGS produces a line of premium seed snacks, including jumbo in-shell sunflower seeds, sunflower seed kernels and roasted pumpkin seeds. call Hickory hardwood smoke: Smoked with 100% pure hickory wood for a deep, traditional smoke flavor. While terms of the transaction were not disclosed, a source previously told The Deal the purchase price would likely be about $100 million. Their brands include Duke's Smoked Shorty Sausages and Bigs Sunflower Seeds. For example, you dont want to pair a spicier beer with a spicy jerky. 111 Pine Street Suite 1825 111 Pine Street Suite 1825 San Francisco, CA 94111 Justin "Duke" Havlick, Duke's and BIGS founder and chief executive officer, said, "What started 13 years ago as a simple passion for fire roasting seeds and slow smoking meats, has grown into two terrific brands that are recognized in households across the U.S. JUSTIN "DUKE" HAVLICK Retail Locations: Store Locator by State Contact Us: Send Duke's Meats a Message Social Media: FaceBook/DukesMeats - Twitter/DukesMeats - Instagram/DukesMeats - Pinterest/DukesMeats Duke's Meats Best Beef Jerky Reviews - Duke's Meats Variety Is The Spice Of Life! [1] The company was acquired by Conagra Brands in 2017. Justin "Duke" Havlick, Duke's and BIGS founder and chief executive officer: "What started 13 years ago as a simple passion for fire roasting seeds and slow smoking meats, has grown into two terrific brands that are recognized in households across the United States." Conagra Brands currently manages the Slim Jim meat stick brand and the DAVID Seeds brand. Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc. provided strategic and financial advisory services to Thanasi Foods. Encore Consumer Capital is a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm focused on the consumer products industry. Smoked meats. These on-trend brands extend our meat snacks and seeds businesses into faster-growing, more premium segments. Conagra Brands to buy Thanasi Foods | Meatpoultry.com . when you season and marinate fresh meats with whole, roasted, or diced ingredients from farms-not just dried spices-you get a fresher homemade flavor. From providing liquidity to some of my early investors, to being in the trenches with me when it came to building out our team and maximizing our potential as people and brands. View the profiles of people named Justin Duke. TheStreet's Jim Cramer has long approved of the move by established food companies such as General Mills into more natural and organic products. block. Repeat. Our database of leading suppliers and service providers for the food and beverage industries. host Thats why we proudly wear the seal and you can too. (function(){var ml="mcte4ial%0onurfps. Hershey did the deal to grow its share of convenience store shelves. Focused on crafting the highest-quality smoked meat snacks available, the family-operated business refuses to take shortcuts and is committed to producing its products in small batches with real, whole ingredients, fresh never-frozen pork and chicken, 100% grass-fed beef, and authentic hardwood smoke pairings. Small batch care: Batch case qty. daniel.hare@conagra.com, INVESTORS: Johan Nystedt Dukes Roasted Cayenne Beef Jerky & Left Hand Wake Up Dead. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Hunt's, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher's, as well as emerging brands, including Alexia, Blake's and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. From providing liquidity to some of my early investors, to being in the trenches with me when it came to building out our team and maximizing our potential as people and brands. Lastly, Salisbury, Md.-based poultry producer Perdue Farms Inc. bought Natural Food Holdings Inc. from White Plains, N.Y., PE firm LNK Partners LLC in early September. It's no wonder why hatch chiles have become famous through the decades. Dukes Hot & Spicy Shorty Smoked Sausages & Left Hand Good Juju. Encore came in as minority partner that really assisted some of our earlier members on a transition out, Havlick told NOSH. CHICAGO, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Conagra Brands, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire protein-based snacking businesses Thanasi Foods LLC ,. Justin Duke Havlick. We roast them, dice them thick, and let the natural chile oils infuse the . CAGNY Justin "Duke" Havlick, Duke's and BIGS founder and chief executive officer, said, "What started 13 years ago as a simple passion for fire roasting seeds and slow smoking meats, has grown into. 10 Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA. (NYSE: This batch was freshly crafted with: Classic spices & herbs: This is the recipe that started it all. Also on the podcast, TI's massive expansion, Tesla recalls "full self-driving," Marksbury fined over child labor, GM patents self-cleaning touchscreen and thief steals thousands of chocolate Easter eggs. Justin "Duke" Havlick, Duke's and BIGS founder and chief executive officer, said, "What started 13 years ago as a simple passion for fire roasting seeds and slow smoking meats, has grown into two terrific brands that are recognized in households across the U.S. Their brands include Duke's Smoked Shorty Sausages and Bigs Sunflower Seeds. San Francisco, CA 94111 Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. Conagras last acquisition of a natural products company was last September, when it picked up Frontera Foods and Red Fork. Report: China to 'Scrutinize' Ford Deal Over IP Fears. As a kid, Duke was an Eagle Scout who grew up running around the Rocky Mountains searching out roadside jerky stands and exploring Colorado's back country with his family. https://twitter.com/vendingmagazine To ensure that valuable tech wont be handed over to Ford. - Justin Duke Havlick. CHICAGO, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Today Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire protein-based snacking businesses Thanasi Foods LLC (Thanasi), maker of Duke's meat snacks, and BIGS LLC (BIGS), maker of BIGS seeds. Following the completion of the transaction, the Duke's and BIGS brands will continue operating out of Boulder, Colorado. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com. Metal Plant Explosion Kills Maintenance Worker. "Encore provided strategic guidance to and unwavering confidence in our team to help us execute our vision," said Justin Havlick, Founder of Thanasi Foods. This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to Havlick founded the company 13 years ago with investment from friends and family. this website. This is the recipe that started it all. For more information, please visit www.dukesmeats.com. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. 3. (function(){var ml="8(640291%-)5",mi="137;:854562960;4",o="";for(var j=0,l=mi.length;j