Food Dive reported the development on 2026-05-12. The acquisition will significantly boost the company's growing prepared foods segment and solidify its presence in breakfast.
The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Cal-Maine Foods said Tuesday it would purchase Van's Foods waffles and other assets from Sara Lee Frozen Bakery for an undisclosed amount, expanding its reach beyond eggs. Sara Lee Frozen is owned by private-equity firm Kohlberg. Cal-Maine, the largest egg company in the U.S., said the purchase is aimed at helping diversify its business and grow in prepared foods sold at retail.
For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. The addition of Van’s is expected to increase Cal-Maine’s prepared foods annual sales by approximately 10% and volume by about 6%. Cal-Maine posted net sales of $4.3 billion in its 2025 fiscal year. Cal-Maine is expanding its breakfast menu with the purchase of Van’s, a maker of gluten-free waffles.
Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. Egg prices have come down significantly since the spread of bird flu, which has killed more than 150 million birds since 2022. Lower prices have led to steep declines in Cal-Maine's profits, with conventional egg sales down close to 60% in its most recent quarter.
Food Dive
https://www.fooddive.com/news/egg-giant-cal-maine-diversifies-business-with-purchase-of-vans-waffle/819946/This report is prepared from the public source listed above for news and industry-information purposes. Original research, text, trademarks and images remain with their authors and rights holders; open material is used under the licence identified by its source. Rights holders may contact rights@asiafoodtimes.com with evidence of ownership, and verified concerns will be corrected or removed promptly. This article is not investment, legal, medical or nutrition advice.
