AdvancePierre Acquires Barber Foods

AdvancePierre Foods has acquired Barber Foods, a Portland, ME-based supplier of value-added chicken products. Barber’s more than 300 frozen products are both raw and fully cooked and feature a wide variety of stuffed chicken breasts ranging from Chicken Cordon Bleu and broccoli & cheese stuffed chicken to chicken stuffed with scallops and lobster.

The company also manufactures an assortment of other frozen chicken products, including chicken nuggets, chicken fingers, and chicken fillets. The Barber brand has a significant presence in retail grocery, club and foodservice.

“The high-quality products, top-notch manufacturing facility and family values of Barber Foods makes it an excellent addition to AdvancePierre,” says AdvancePierre CEO Bill Toler. “We are very enthusiastic about what Barber brings to our existing and future retail, foodservice and convenience business, as well as opportunities to expand our presence through their East Coast location. We continue to aggressively pursue our strategy of acquiring high quality companies that fit within our business model.”

AdvancePierre was formed last October through the merger of Pierre Foods, Advance Food Co. and Advance Brands. It is a leading supplier of value-added protein and handheld convenience products to the foodservice, school, retail, club, vending and convenience store markets.

“As the food industry continues to consolidate and bigger players emerge, it was the right time for Barber Foods to join forces with a growing industry leader like AdvancePierre,” says David Barber, son of the founder of Barber Foods and its current president. “Our products are a terrific complement to their existing line, and we share similar philosophies about our priorities of food safety, quality, service and productivity leading to growth. It’s a great fit.”