Entrepreneurial Equity Partners (“e2p”), a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on the food and consumer packaged goods industries, announced today that it has invested in Salm Partners (“Salm” or the “Company”) alongside the Salm family, who will maintain a significant stake in the Company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2004, Salm is the largest contract manufacturer of fully cooked sausages and premium hot dogs in the United States serving a blue-chip customer base that includes industry-leading brands. Utilizing a differentiated, co-extrusion, cook-in-package manufacturing process, Salm offers better tasting, clean label products with extended shelf lives relative to sausages produced utilizing conventional methods. Salm is headquartered in Denmark, Wisconsin where it owns and operates two separate production facilities. Salm also jointly runs WFSP Foods, LLC, in Decatur, Alabama, with Wayne Farms, LLC.
e2p Managing Partner CJ Fraleigh said, “I have admired Chris Salm and the broader team of partners he has assembled for 15 years and am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to partner together. Salm is an exceptional values-based company that has earned an industry-leading reputation by focusing on creating trusted partnerships with customers, suppliers, and teammates. We look forward to working together to continue building and growing the Company on this strong foundation.”
Salm Partners co-founder and board member Chris Salm, commented, “With their industry experience and reputation for partnering with entrepreneurs and family businesses, e2p is a perfect fit for Salm. We are excited to have their support as we pursue the Company’s next stage of growth together.”
Salm Partners CEO Keith Lindsey added, “We are excited for growth opportunities that this partnership will create for our customers, suppliers, and teammates. We look forward to continuing to provide our customers the high-quality innovation, food safety and service Salm is known for while also investing in additional technology that will allow us to offer a wider breadth of capabilities and products.”
About Entrepreneurial Equity Partners
e2p is a middle market, Chicago-based private equity firm focused on control-oriented investments in the food and consumer packaged goods industries. e2p’s team of professionals includes experienced food and consumer packaged goods executives and investors who bring an entrepreneurial mindset and extensive industry networks to supporting and collaborating with portfolio company teams. For further information, please visit www.e2pcapital.com.
About Salm Partners
Salm Partners is the largest co-manufacturer and producer of fully cooked sausage and hot dog products for the world’s most trusted brands across the US. The company’s superior product offerings are made with a co-extrusion, cook-in-package process that produces, better tasting, clean label, extended shelf life, food-safe products for their customers. For further information, please visit www.salmpartners.com.