Conagra ‘in talks to sell hot-dog brand Hebrew National to JBS

US food heavyweight Conagra Brands is reportedly in talks hot-dog brand Hebrew National to Brazilian meat giant JBS.

 

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), quoting people familiar with the matter, said a sale could also include the Egg Beaters and Odom’s Tennessee Pride brands and be worth about US$700m.

 

Hebrew National’s kosher beef hot dogs were first sold in New York in 1905. Conagra acquired the brand’s parent company in 1993 and the products are now manufactured at a plant in Quincy, Michigan. 

 

Other meat products are also sold under the Hebrew National brand, including corned beef, bologna, salami and pastrami. A range of savoury snacks are also part of its range. 

 

The brand’s slogan is “we answer to a higher authority”.

 

The WSJ’s sources said any agreement is likely to be weeks away but cautioned Conagra could end up keeping the business or selling it to someone else. 

 

Chicago-based Conagra, which owns brands such as Hunt’s, Slim Jim and Marie Callender’s, has been re-shaping its portfolio over the last 18 months to focus more on frozen food and snacks. 

 

This has led to a number of disposals including the sale of the Lender’s Bagel business to Mexican baker major Grupo Bimbo in January last year.

 

Just-food has asked Conagra and JBS’s American arm to comment on the WSJ story, outside of US working hours. 

 

A Conagra spokesperson said: “We don’t have any comment on this rumour/speculation.” 

 

                                                                                                                                                       By Andy Coyne