Bell-Carter Foods Acquires DeGraffenreid Pickles
California Company Adds Pickles To Its Line of High-Quality Foods
LAFAYETTE, Calif. (January 15, 2002)–Bell-Carter Foods, Inc., the world’s largest table olive processor, has acquired the operating assets of J.L. DeGraffenreid & Sons, LLC in Springfield, Missouri, a leading processor and nation-wide distributor of pickled condiments, including various styles of pickles, okra and peppers. The purchase price was not disclosed. “DeGraffenreid has successfully delivered top-quality products to its customers for more than 50 years and the Bell Carter family looks forward to carrying on this tradition” said Tim Carter, CEO of Bell-Carter Foods. “Bringing them into the Bell-Carter family is a natural extension of our business.”
DeGraffenreid was formed in 1944 and operates a 72,500 square foot state-of-the-art facility. The facility has 85 employees and processes approximately 65 million pounds of pickles annually from cucumbers primarily grown in Southwest Missouri, within 90 miles of the plant. This assures top-quality products with optimum freshness. DeGraffenreid supplies pickled condiments to many limited chain menu restaurants across the country.
Established in 1912, Bell-Carter Foods produces more than 10 million cases of olives annually. The family business is now run by third-generation family members, with headquarters in Lafayette, California. For additional information on the Lindsay Olives product line, please visit www.lindsayolives.com.
For more information, please contact Gregory J. Purcell (312-577-8380) or Joseph P. Campolo (312-577-8381).