The Hillshire Brands, formerly Sara Lee, has completed the separation of its international coffee & tea business - DE Master Blenders 1753.
Hillshire Brands, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker HSH, focuses on meat-centric food products and foodservice operations. It offers several consumer brands such as Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Aidells, Gallo Salame and State Fair.
According to Sara Lee, the name of the meat business was inspired by the Hillshire Farm brand, which was acquired in 1971.
Sara Lee former executive chairman Jan Bennink said the completion of the spin-off of DE Master Blenders 1753 is a significant milestone for shareholders and employees, as it creates two pure-play companies that will pursue success independently.
In January 2011, Sara Lee announced its plans to divide the company into two publicly traded companies, one focused on the international coffee and tea business and the other one focused on North American meat brands.
