Snyder's-Lance Completes Divestiture of Private Brands

Snyder's-Lance announced the completion of the sale of its Private Brands business, along with two manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada, to Shearer's Foods, a leading provider of private label snacks headquartered in Massillon, OH. The deal was first announced on May 7, 2014.  As previously communicated, the selling price for Private Brands was $430 million, with after-tax proceeds of approximately $300 million.  When combined with the recently completed acquisition of Baptista's Bakery, the company expects an annualized reduction in Net Revenue of approximately $250 million and an initial reduction in operating margins of around 20 basis points primarily due to stranded costs.  "This is an important step forward for Snyder's-Lance as we dedicate our attention to our branded portfolio," said Carl E. Lee, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer. "I want to thank all of our associates who have worked to make our Private Brands successful for many years, and wish everyone the greatest of success in the future." Exiting Private Brands and acquiring the "better for you" product capabilities of Baptista's demonstrates the company's execution of its strategic plan to become a differentiated branded company focused on consumer trends and demand.  Consistent with the company's strategy, these transactions will allow Snyder's-Lance to focus on its branded products by placing more resources to work on growth categories such as "better-for-you" and premium snacks.  These growth categories will benefit from incremental new product innovation, category development and marketing investments.  The company's brands are supported by one of the largest Direct Store Delivery (DSD) networks in the United States along with an expanding Direct Sales Force that complements its DSD operation with focus on high traffic perimeter locations such as the deli departments of major retailers.