Food Processing / Manufacturing

Food processing/manufacturing requires lean operations and manufacturing excellence, accurate cost accounting, focused understanding of customer and product profitability, understanding and strategic assessment of concentration risks presented by the composition of customers and product, and more, to achieve profitability in a value chain under constant margin compression. Our clients have sold their products into retail, ingredient, food service, and other end markets, including their own branded products, private label, and commodity products. 

Our engagements have included profit improvement, turnaround, restructuring, and M&A advisory, including both healthy and distressed sell side advisory. We have assisted our clients in growing sales, reducing sales concentration risks through diversification, improving margins, including by developing and implementing disciplined cost accounting processes and customer and product profitability assessments, and optimizing procurement processes to acheive cost effciencies.

Highlighted Engagements

$300M
Revenue

branded lunch meat and meat snack processor

$300M
Revenue

branded nut processor

$200M
Revenue

multi plant bakery of bread, buns and sweet goods

$200M
Revenue

multiplant turkey slaughterhouse and processing operations

$170M
Revenue

Chocolate candy manufacturing of proprietary brands

$150M
Revenue

candy manufacturer

$150M
Revenue

custom, portion controlled meat processor of beef and pork, serving casual theme restaurants

$150M
Revenue

manufacturer of powdered food and nutritional products

$115M
Revenue

branded and private label processor of apple sauce, juice and vinegar

$110M
Revenue

branded meat, soup /pickle processors

$100M
Revenue

candy manufacturer

$100M
Revenue

branded Kosher meat processor

$100M
Revenue

provider of batter, breading and other flavor systems to proteins, cheeses, bread products and...

$90M
Revenue

pork and other protein processor with branded products and toll processing

$80M
Revenue

candy manufacturer

$80M
Revenue

multi-plant processor and distributor of natural and organic seeds, spices and grains

$75M
Revenue

imitation cheese processor

$70M
Revenue

manufacturer of private label shelf stable cheese dips and coffee beverages

$70M
Revenue

animal nutrition and branded pet nutrition and supply company

$70M
Revenue

cheese and veal feed manufacturer

$70M
Revenue

beef & chicken distributor to restaurants and food-service

$65M
Revenue

sauerkraut manufacturer with farming operations and olive distributor

$50M
Revenue

pecan and other nut manufacturer and distributor

$50M
Revenue

prime and choice grade beef processor

$50M
Revenue

Specialized cheese manufacturing

$50M
Revenue

baking powder, ingredients manufacturer

$45M
Revenue

branded cookie distributor

$40M
Revenue

manufacturer of fine chemicals for the agrochemical and specialty chemical markets

$40M
Revenue

producer and distributor of maraschino cherries

$40M
Revenue

pork slaughterhouse that produces various pork products

$30M
Revenue

manufacturer of private label and branded ham, pork and turkey products

$27M
Revenue

produces and distributes animal feed, poultry and swine

$25M
Revenue

multi-plant sunflower processor and distributor selling throughout the world

$25M
Revenue

branded meat processor

$25M
Revenue

specialty catalogue and fundraising manufacturer and distributor

$20M
Revenue

specialty dairy processor

$18M
Revenue

custom micro ingredients (stabilizer/emulsifier systems) and contract tolling

$16M
Revenue

processor of pork products

$15M
Revenue

branded and private label cough drops, candy rolls, mints and contract packaging

$15M
Revenue

private label and branded pasta manufacturer

Experienced Professionals

FDP News

Oct - 23

Max Bechtel and Austin Curtis join Fort Dearborn Partners

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the Fort Dearborn Team, Max Bechtel and Austin Curtis.

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Apr - 23

Fort Dearborn advises Reliable Knitting Works

Fort Dearborn Partners served as the exclusive financial advisor for the refinancing of Reliable Knitting Works, a $125 Million Wisconsin-based Company.

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