McCain, Heinz to buy Anchor Food

FLORENCEVILLE, New Bruns-wick – Through an agreement reached Wednesday, McCain Foods Ltd. will acquire the production facilities and food-service business of Anchor Food Products Inc. in a three-party transaction. H.J. Heinz Co. will purchase Anchor’s branded products sold to retail outlets, including supermarkets and club stores.

Anchor produces specialty cheese appetizers, onion rings, stuffed jalapeno peppers, vegetable appetizers and rolled and specialty appetizers.

The transactions, which are subject to regulatory review, are expected to close this fall, according to a press release announcing the deal. Specific terms of the announcement were not disclosed.

McCain, based in Florenceville, manufactures french fries, pizza, appetizers and other frozen foods. The company has manufacturing operations in 13 countries on five continents, including a plant in Easton, Maine.

In the agreement, McCain will acquire Anchor’s main production facility and headquarters in Appleton Wis., and its plants in Pecos, Texas, and Cuauhtemoc, Mexico.

H.J. Heinz, which operates in about 200 countries, will gain licensing rights to Anchor’s T.G.I. Friday’s brand and will acquire the Poppers brand of retail appetizer lines.