HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) — The Hershey Company announced Monday they plan to acquire two manufacturing facilities from Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing.
According to the Hershey Company, they recently entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the two manufacturing plants from Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing, which is a leader in popcorn production and co-packing.
Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing is also the co-manufacturer of Hershey’s SkinnyPop brand.
As part of the deal, Hershey will be acquiring the following operation facilities from Weaver:
- Bethlehem, Pa. (2600 Brodhead Road)
- Whitestown, Indiana (10 Anson Boulevard)
According to the Hershey Company, the new facilities will also enable flexibility, agility, and resiliency across the company’s growing salty snacks supply chain network.
“Hershey has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years, stemming from a combination of successful strategy execution and an increase in more snacking occasions among consumers,” Kristen Riggs, President, Salty Snacks, The Hershey Company said. “In fact, SkinnyPop has been number one in retail sales growth for ready-to-eat popcorn over the last three years.”
“Participating in the growth of SkinnyPop has been a rewarding experience for our team members,” Jason Kashman, Chief Executive Officer, Weaver Popcorn said. “Hershey is acquiring two best-in-class popcorn manufacturing operations that will enable continued growth in volume and quality, with teams at each location that have an unrivaled expertise.”
Weaver Popcorn is a family owned and operated company, and has been so for the past 90+ years – they were founded in 1928, according to their website.
According to the Hershey Company, the acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals and will be financed with cash on hand, as well as short-term borrowings.
The acquisition comes one year after the Hershey Company acquired Pretzels, Inc. to further expand its salty snack manufacturing capability.
