Cargill Inc. is selling the Schweigert brand of hot dogs and sausages to Bakalars Sausage Co. of La Crosse, Wis. Terms of the deal announced Tuesday were not disclosed.
Schweigert is a brand founded in north Minneapolis in 1937, and it's the main hot dog served at Target Field during Minnesota Twins games.
Cargill, the Minnetonka-based agribusiness giant, picked up Schweigert in 2008 when it bought Willow Brook Foods. Most of Schweigert's sales are in Minnesota, with smaller volumes sold in surrounding states.
Production of Schweigert products will shift from Cargill's plant in Albert Lea to Bakalars' operation in La Crosse. The Albert Lea plant specializes in cooked meats, especially for restaurants and convenience stores.
"There is increasing demand for cooked meat products from current and potential customers, and we will use the space at Albert Lea [vacated by Schweigert] to expand that capability," Cargill spokesman Mike Martin wrote in an e-mail.
Bakalars is a regional sausage company, and the Schweigert deal will complement its existing product line and expand its business.
"This is a wonderful addition to our portfolio of specialty meat items," company President Mike Bakalars said in a prepared statement.
Mike Hughlett
