Smithfield Foods to Acquire North Side Foods

Smithfield Foods, Inc. has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the outstanding stock of North Side Foods Corp., a leading producer of precooked pork products in North America.

North Side, headquartered in Arnold, PA, is a major domestic supplier of precooked sausage to the McDonald Corporation. In addition, through its Ember Farms brand, the company is also a supplier to other nationalrestaurant chains such as Perkins and Friendly's.

``Consistent with the company's practice to permit its operating subsidiaries to operate with a great deal of independence, North Side will operate as an autonomous unit of Smithfield Foods,'' said Joseph Luter, III, chairman and chief executive officer.