Milwaukee-based
Klement's Sausage Co. has been acquired by Chicago-based
Amylu Foods, a manufacturer of fully cooked chicken products, for an undisclosed price.
Amylu Foods acquired Klement’s from Houston-based
Tall Free Foods, which purchased Klement's
back in 2014.
The acquisition will allow Amylu Foods to broaden its product range to include new offerings like snack sticks and summer sausages. The acquisition will also enhance Amylu’s production capacity.
"We are delighted to unite with the dynamic Amylu Foods family," said
Jeff Baker, president of Klement's Sausage Co. "This strategic combination promises exciting prospects for both brands, empowering us to extend the reach of our cherished Wisconsin flavors to an even wider audience.”
The Amylu brand has grown rapidly over the last few years, said
Steve Zoll, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer. The brand’s portfolio of products experienced 70% year-over-year growth in 2024.
In 2020, Amylu completed construction of a new 84,000-square-foot facility within Chicago’s Stockyards Industrial Park.
“We’re already running out of room there,” said Zoll. “We’ve been eyeing acquisitions as a way to grow further.”
He knew Klement’s had been owned by Tall Tree Foods for nearly 10 years, so he reached out to ask the firm if it would be willing to sell. A deal was closed just six months later.
Zoll anticipates making a $10 million investment to upgrade the Klement’s manufacturing facility, located at 2650 S. Chase Ave. in Milwaukee, over the next several years.
“Our intention is to make some big investments into the (Klement’s) facility,” said Zoll. “We think there’s an opportunity to modernize some things.”
Amylu will retain Klement’s current workforce of approximately 300 workers at the Chase Avenue plant and add about 200 people there over the next two to three years, according to Zoll.
“I think we could quadruple the production there once we get the right equipment in place,” he said. “The brand has continued to grow modestly over the last four to five years.”
[caption id="attachment_589880" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]
The Klement's plant at 2650 S. Chase Ave. in Milwaukee. Image from Google.[/caption]
