Houston, TX, and Kent, WA – August 15, 2016 – Tall Tree Foods, a portfolio company of Altamont Capital Partners (Altamont), today announced the acquisition of The January Company (January), a leading manufacturer of Chinese-style meat products based in Kent, Washington.
The January Company, founded in 1948, has been owned and operated by the company’s current president and CEO, Jim Ding, for over four decades. The company is renowned for its high quality, authentic and great-tasting Chinese-style sausage and BBQ pork products sold throughout the United States under the Kam Yen Jan and Yangtze brands. The Company will add to the basis of Tall Tree Foods Holdings Inc., a holding company led by Altamont’s operating partner and CEO of Tall Tree Foods, Tim Bruer. January brings an attractive portfolio of high quality products to Tall Tree Foods, as well as additional diversity and geographic expansion. Tall Tree Foods will build upon the longstanding heritage and brand equity that Mr. Ding and his team have consistently provided its customers since inception.
Commenting on the acquisition, Mr. Bruer said: “We are excited to add The January Company to the Tall Tree Foods portfolio – its authentic products and strong brand equity are an excellent foundation that we will continue to build upon. The Company is well positioned to capitalize on the substantial growth opportunities in both its current markets and beyond.”
Mr. Ding will continue to lead the business through a transition period along with the current management team based in Kent. The Company’s plant and office will remain in Kent.
Mr. Ding commented: “We are pleased to have the future of The January Company in the hands of new ownership with Altamont Capital Partners and Tall Tree Foods. I want to thank the many employees and family members who have worked so hard to get the business to where it is today. We look forward to the future growth of the brand.”
Tall Tree Foods financed the acquisition with Fifth Third Bank and Owl Rock Capital Corporation.
BMO Capital Markets (formerly Greene Holcomb Fisher) served as the exclusive financial advisor to The January Company.
About Tall Tree Foods
Tall Tree Foods is a food holding company backed by Altamont Capital Partners. In June 2013, Tall Tree Foods acquired the Blue Ribbon Bacon and Sausage business in Southeast Texas, and Richard’s Cajun Foods, a leading manufacturer of authentic sausage and ready-to-eat meals sold in Louisiana, Texas and other southeastern states. In May 2014, Tall Tree Foods acquired Klement’s Sausage Company, a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of European-heritage meat products.
About Altamont Capital Partners
Altamont Capital Partners is a private investment firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area with approximately $1.3 billion of capital under management. Altamont is focused on investing in middle market businesses where it can partner with leading management teams to help its portfolio companies reach their full potential. The firm’s principals have significant experience building business success stories across a range of industries, including government services, financial services, consumer/retail, industrials and healthcare.
Contact
Brunswick Group on behalf of Altamont Capital Partners
Aman Battish
(415) 671-7676
[email protected]