Harker's sells distribution business in LeMars
Nov 21, 2007

LE MARS, Iowa -- Reyes Holdings LLC said Friday its has signed an agreement to buy the distribution side of Harker's Distribution Inc.

Harker's CEO Jim Harker said in a statement that his company will keep and expand its custom cut steak and other meat processing operations in Le Mars, where it is headquartered, and its Lombardi Meats operations in Colorado and Minnesota.

The transaction includes Harker's sales territories in 11 states

The privately held Reyes Holdings, LLC, will merge Harker's into its Reinhart FoodService, based in Rogers, Minn. The deal is set to close on Nov. 26.

Reyes spokeswoman Molly Reilly said the employees of both companies are being informed of the change today and Saturday.

Heather Vanover, Harker's vice president of human development, said her company told some of its people Thursday night. She declined to say how many people Harker's employs in Le Mars, but the company told the Journal in September 2006 that it had about 210 workers there.

Reilly said Reinhart will be offering jobs to many of Harker's distribution managers, route drivers and salesmen, since there is limited overlap in the two companies' territories. The workers must be screened first, a process which involves drug testing and a review of their employment records, among other things, she said.

"When the employees are offered a job, they bring their seniority with them and are eligible for Reinhart benefits from day one," she said.

Both companies are privately held. Reilly said details of the agreement will be worked out over the 10 days prior to the closing.



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