Sadler's Smokehouse

Sadler's Smokehouse

Location: Henderson, TX
Phone: (800) 777-5581
Website: www.sadlerssmokehouse.com
Status: Exited in 2011
Sadler's Smokehouse Sadler's Smokehouse Sadler's Smokehouse

Sadler’s Smokehouse is a leading producer of authentic, high quality, and fully-cooked smoked meats including beef, pork and poultry. Sadler’s meats are differentiated in that they are slow cooked for up to 18 hours using traditional pit smoking with natural hardwood coals. Originally founded as a 50-square-foot drive-up BBQ stand in 1948, the Company now operates a 200,000 square foot processing facility capable of producing several hundred thousand pounds of smoked meat per day.

Sadler’s products are distributed nation-wide through grocery, club, retail, co-pack and foodservice channels. Sadler’s enjoys long-standing relationships dating back more than 15 years with many of its top customers. The Company’s products are marketed under the Sadler’s brand as well as through private label arrangements with select partners.

Background to the Transaction

After 60 years of family ownership, the Sadler family was seeking to generate liquidity for the family for estate planning purposes via a recapitalization. Additionally, the family was evaluating succession planning and was interested in joining with an equity partner that could also bring an experienced food industry CEO to lead the company. Given Brazos’ experience with family-owned businesses and their geographic proximity to the company, Brazos was able to gain the confidence of the Sadler family as the right partner to meet their liquidity and succession planning needs. The recapitalization, including a significant rollover investment by the Sadler family, was completed in October 2007. The Sadler family remains active in the business, and Harold Sadler serves on the board of directors.