Western Family Foods Deal About 'Economies Of Scale'

Western Family Foods on Monday said a deal to transfer management of its private-label food business to a larger company will providing pricing benefits to the independent retailers and consumers that buy its products.

The Tigard-based company said it has reached a deal with Topco Associates LLC to take over sourcing, distribution and management of its three primary grocery brands: Western Family, Shurfine and Natural Directions. Once the deal is completed in the next few months, Western Family will close its corporate office and lay off its entire 58-person workforce.

Western Family is a private-label buying and marketing company that distributes grocery items under its brands to a network of retailer-owned grocery wholesalers. It ranked fifth last year on the Business Journal's list of largest private companies, with $750 million in 2014 revenue, the most recent data available.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Portland Business Journal