Smithfield Foods to Acquire Nathan’s Famous for $450 Million
Pork processor Smithfield Foods Inc. will acquire Nathan’s Famous Inc., according to a release shared with Food Processing. The two companies have entered into an agreement by which Smithfield would acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Nathan’s Famous Inc. for $102 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of approximately $450 million.
Since 2014, Smithfield has manufactured, distributed, marketed and sold hot dogs, sausages, corned beef and other products in retail under the Nathan’s Famous brand through an exclusive license it has held since March 2014 — it also manufactured and distributed hot dog and sausage products in foodservice under that brand. The license was set to expire in March 2032, and Smithfield decided to bring the brand and business on board before that expiration even became a question.
“The Nathan’s Famous acquisition is a meaningful step in the progression of Smithfield Foods allowing us to own all of the top brands in our Packaged Meats portfolio and unlock new growth opportunities for our largest segment,” said Smithfield President and CEO Shane Smith in the release. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the first half of 2026, subject to certain conditions.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.