Lewis Foods Acquires Stokes/Ellis

Lewis Foods, Inc., a privately-held food company based in Denver, has acquired Stokes/Ellis Foods, a supplier of canned meat products, soups and refried beans to the private label market.

Stokes/Ellis also markets retail products under the Stokes, Ellis and Greene's Farm brand names. Stokes/Ellis will operate as a subsidiary of Lewis Foods' Processed Foods Div., which also includes Anthony Foods. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Stokes/Ellis, based in Denver, offers more than 400 SKUs of products under private label and retail brand names. Its operations include a 220,000-square-foot facility, which is USDA and FDA approved, and is also certified for organic and kosher production. The company employs approximately 130.

"The Stokes acquisition gives Lewis Foods its first entry into branded products," said James Lewis, president and CEO of Lewis Foods. "The successful integration of Stokes is another step in completing Lewis Foods' concept of a vertically integrated food processing and distribution company.''

In addition to its Processed Foods Div., Lewis Foods, Inc., also operates a Fresh Produce Div., including Produce Kountry, Su Casa Produce Partners, L&G Produce, Callaway Murphy Produce Partners and JELTEX Farms. The division includes fresh produce distributors, brokers, wholesalers and a farming operation.