Dawn Foods, a bakery manufacturer and ingredients supplier that has called Jackson home for more than 100 years, is set to be acquired by Belgian food giant Puratos.
- Jackon's Dawn Foods will be acquired by Belgian company Puratos
- Dawn Foods started and has operated in Jackson for over one hundred years
- The acquisition will be completed by the end of 2026
The acquisition agreement was announced this week. Dawn Foods remains fully independent until the deal is complete, which is expected to happen by the end of 2026.
Accelerate Jackson County President and CEO Keith Gillenwater said the news raises questions for the community, but he expressed confidence in the company's direction.
"You have questions, but you also know and trust that the company knows what they're doing very well," Gillenwater said.
Gillenwater noted that this type of transition is not unprecedented in the business world.
"This is not the first company that's ever went through either an acquisition, or a merger, or a transition to new ownership," Gillenwater said.
When asked how the acquisition could affect workers and the Jackson area, Gillenwater acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with announcements like this.
"When you see an announcement like that, there's always questions that come with that," Gillenwater said.
Still, Gillenwater said he looks forward to what lies ahead.
"We're interested and excited to see what the future holds," Gillenwater said.
Dawn Foods also responded with a statement addressing concerns about the local impact of the deal.
"Jackson has been the home of Dawn for generations, and our team members and this community are deeply important to us. There are no changes to our operations as a result of this announcement," Dawn Foods said.
The company noted that more specific details about the transition may emerge in the months ahead.
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