"Perdue Farms to Buy Chipotle Pork Supplier Niman Ranch"

"Perdue Farms Inc. agreed to acquire Natural Food Holdings and its Niman Ranch brand, a pork supplier for Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., as part of its goal to expand into organic and antibiotic-free meat.

Closely held Perdue, the third-largest U.S. chicken producer, said in a statement Tuesday it’s buying the the business from private-equity firm LNK Partners. Perdue didn’t disclose terms for the deal, which is expected to be completed soon.

Chairman Jim Perdue, whose grandfather founded the Salisbury, Maryland-based company in 1920, has targeted premium-quality meats that appeal to health-conscious consumers. He bought Coleman Natural Foods in 2011, selling organic chicken cuts and cooked sausages under that brand. It’s now the largest U.S. producer of organic chicken."

Shruti Singh reports for Bloomberg September 9, 2015.