October 16, 2006

OSI acquires Illinois poultry producer

Illinois meat distributor OSI has acquired poultry processor Amick Farms, a 1,500 employee operation, in a sale to be completed Oct 30. 

Aurora, Illinois-based OSI Group is the largest supplier of hamburger, chicken and pork to McDonald's restaurants. McDonald's corporate headquarters is also in the same state.

Amick Farms owner Bill Amick sold the 65-year-old family-owned business for an undisclosed price.

Amick Farms supplies deboned chickens to wholesalers and restaurants and would retain its namesake, board of directors and employees after the sale, said Fred West, a spokesman for Amick.

The acquisition may be apt for OSI as it has no poultry plants in the US. OSI, a privately-owned company, has an estimated US$3.2 billion in sales in 2004. It has 19,000 employees and 75 plants around the world.

OSI operations include Carolina Culinary Foods, which makes pork, beef and chicken food products.