US meat processor Smithfield Foods plans to form a joint venture with Kansas City Sausage Co.

The transaction, announced today (15 February), will be funded with cash and will be a 50/50 partnership deal. Smithfield said it will allow the company to grow in two categories it that have not historically been a focus: breakfast sausage and dinner sausage.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

“With our strong ongoing focus on building our packaged meats business, and with 15% of the US sow population, this joint venture is a logical fit for Smithfield. These categories represent over $4bn in retail and foodservice sales annually,” Smithfield president and CEO Larry Pope said.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact