Cal-Maine Foods announces Creighton Brothers acquisition
Cal-Maine Foods is expanding its egg and prepared foods business by acquiring the shell egg, egg products, and prepared foods assets of Creighton Brothers LLC, including Crystal Lake LLC.
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Cal-Maine Foods is expanding its egg and prepared foods business by acquiring the shell egg, egg products, and prepared foods assets of Creighton Brothers LLC, including Crystal Lake LLC. The total purchase price is approximately $128.5 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments, and is being funded entirely with available cash on hand.
Creighton Brothers adds commercial shell egg production and grading capacity for about 3.2 million laying hens, including 500,000 cage-free, plus 865,000 pullets, a feed mill, 1,007 acres of land, and an egg products and hard-cooked egg facility. Both acquired businesses are based in Warsaw, Indiana, where Cal-Maine previously had no shell egg operations, broadening the company’s geographic footprint.
Cal-Maine plans to fully integrate Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake into its existing operations, including 177 employees. Management highlights benefits such as greater shell egg scale, more specialty and conventional capacity, nearby liquid egg production to support prepared foods, improved supply security for egg-based ingredients, and the potential for better margins and operational efficiency over time.
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Insights
Cal-Maine uses cash to add scale, geography, and prepared foods capacity.
Cal-Maine Foods is purchasing the shell egg, egg products, and prepared foods assets of Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake for about $128.5 million in cash. The deal brings 3.2 million laying hens, 865,000 pullets, a feed mill, land, and an egg products facility.
This acquisition extends Cal-Maine’s footprint into Warsaw, Indiana, where it previously had no shell egg operations, and increases both conventional and cage-free capacity. It also adds nearby liquid egg production that can supply its prepared foods business, which management links to better supply security, margin improvement, and operating efficiency.
Management frames the transaction as consistent with a disciplined, returns-focused capital allocation strategy and mentions expected benefits like reduced earnings volatility, margin expansion, and growth opportunities. Actual outcomes will depend on successful integration of the 177 employees, aligning new capacity with demand, and managing industry risks such as HPAI, input costs, and competitive dynamics highlighted in the risk discussion.
8-K Event Classification
2 items: 8.01, 9.01
2 items
Item 8.01
Other Events
Other
Voluntary disclosure of events the company deems important to shareholders but not covered by other items.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.
FAQ
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What acquisition did Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) announce involving Creighton Brothers?
Cal-Maine Foods announced it will acquire the shell egg, egg products, and prepared foods assets of Creighton Brothers LLC, including Crystal Lake LLC, for approximately $128.5 million. The transaction adds production, processing, and land assets to Cal-Maine’s portfolio, expanding its egg and prepared foods operations.
How is Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) funding the Creighton Brothers acquisition?
Cal-Maine Foods is funding the approximately $128.5 million purchase of Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake assets entirely with available cash on hand. Using cash rather than new debt or equity keeps the capital structure unchanged while deploying existing liquidity into expanded production and prepared foods capabilities.
What new production capacity does Cal-Maine gain from Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake?
The acquired assets include commercial shell egg production and grading capacity for about 3.2 million laying hens, including 500,000 cage-free, plus 865,000 pullets. Cal-Maine also gains a feed mill, 1,007 acres of land, and an egg products and hard-cooked egg processing facility in Warsaw, Indiana.
How does the Creighton Brothers deal change Cal-Maine Foods’ geographic footprint?
Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake are headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, where Cal-Maine previously had no shell egg operations. The acquisition gives Cal-Maine a new regional base in the Midwest, broadening distribution options and positioning the company closer to certain retail, foodservice, and manufacturing customers.
Why does Cal-Maine Foods see strategic value in the Crystal Lake prepared foods assets?
Crystal Lake produces liquid, frozen, and hard-cooked egg products and distributes pre-cooked egg patties, omelets, and scrambled eggs. Cal-Maine expects nearby liquid egg capacity to strengthen internal sourcing for its prepared foods business, support supply security, improve margins, and enhance operational efficiency over time.
What integration plans does Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) have for Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake employees?
Cal-Maine Foods plans to fully integrate Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake into its existing operations, including their 177 employees. Management emphasizes respect for the acquired teams’ capabilities and intends to combine their experience with Cal-Maine’s systems, customer relationships, and supply chain to pursue growth opportunities.
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UNITED STATES
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CURRENT REPORT
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Item 8.01 Other Events
On March 2, 2026, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing the acquisition of the shell
egg, egg products, and prepared foods assets of
Creighton Brothers LLC
, including
Crystal Lake LLC
, for a total purchase
price of approximately $130 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Cal-Maine Foods is funding the
acquisition with available cash on hand. A copy of the Company’s press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 to this
Current Report.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
Description
99.1
Press Release issued by the Company on March 2, 2026
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements for the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CAL-MAINE FOODS, INC.
Date:
March 2, 2026
By:
/s/ Max P. Bowman
Max P. Bowman
Director, Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer
Exhibit 99.1
Press Release
Cal-Maine Foods Announces Acquisition of Creighton Brothers LLC
Expands Presence Across Integrated Portfolio, Broadens Geographic Footprint, and
Advances Disciplined Capital Allocation Strategy
RIDGELAND, Miss., Mar. 2, 2026 — Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM), the largest egg
company in the United States and a leading player in the egg-based food industry, today
announced the acquisition of the shell egg, egg products, and prepared foods assets of Creighton
Brothers LLC, including Crystal Lake LLC, for a total purchase price of approximately $128.5
million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Cal-Maine Foods is funding the acquisition
with available cash on hand.
Established in 1925, Creighton Brothers produces, grades, and packages high-quality
conventional and specialty shell eggs for retail and foodservice markets. Crystal Lake produces
ready-to-use egg products for the foodservice and food manufacturing industries, including liquid,
frozen, and hard -cooked eggs, and distributes pre-cooked egg patties, omelets, and scrambled
eggs. Both companies are headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, where Cal-Maine Foods previously
had no shell egg operations.
“The acquisition of Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake advances our strategy by expanding the
scale and geographic reach of our shell egg platform, across both specialty eggs and conventional
eggs, adding meaningful growth to our portfolio. This incremental capacity strengthens our ability
to align production with demand, better positioning us to consistently meet consumer expectations
for choice, reliability, and affordability. Together with the Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake team,
we will build on the strong foundation already in place—combining our operational excellence,
deep customer relationships, supply chain expertise, rigorous capital deployment, and robust
systems to accelerate growth and unlock new opportunities,” said Sherman Miller, president and
chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods.
“Importantly, with nearby liquid egg capacity, we further our internal sourcing strategy for key egg-
based ingredients for our prepared foods business—strengthening supply security, improving
margins, and driving greater operational efficiency. Together, these advantages compound over
time and, guided by our disciplined, returns-focused approach, drive performance and create
sustainable per-share value,” he continued.
The acquired assets include commercial shell egg production and grading with capacity of
approximately 3.2 million laying hens, including 500,000 cage-free, and 865,000 pullets, a feed
mill, 1,007 acres of land, as well as an egg products and hard-cooked egg processing facility.
Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake will be fully integrated into Cal-Maine Foods’ existing
operations, including its 177 employees. Mr. Miller commented, “We are proud to welcome this
exceptional team to the Cal -Maine Foods family. Their high-quality operations reflect remarkable
dedication and capability, and we look forward to achieving even greater success together.”
Mindy Truex, President of Creighton Brothers and Crystal Lake, stated, “With mixed personal
emotions and great pride, I’m excited to see the legacy of Hobart and Russell Creighton and their
families continue and grow with a new family at Cal-Maine. I believe our dedication to excellence
and doing things right will mesh well and provide an example to follow for another 100 years.”
About Cal-Maine Foods
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) is the largest egg company in the United States and a
leading player in the egg-based food industry. With a strong national footprint, Cal-Maine Foods
provides nutritious, affordable, and sustainable protein to millions of households every day.
The Company’s portfolio spans the full egg value ladder—from conventional to specialty, including
cage-free, organic, brown, free-range, pasture-raised, and nutritionally enhanced—serving both
retail and foodservice customers nationwide. Cal-Maine Foods also participates in the growing
prepared foods sector, with offerings such as pre-cooked egg patties, omelets, folded and
scrambled egg formats, hard-cooked eggs, pancakes, waffles, and specialty wraps. Its branded
portfolio includes Eggland’s Best®, Land O’Lakes®, Farmhouse Eggs®, 4Grain®, Sunups®,
Sunny Meadow®, MeadowCreek Foods®, and Crepini®.
Headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, Cal-Maine’s strategy combines scale, operational
excellence, and financial discipline with a commitment to innovation and sustainability, to enable
the Company to deliver trusted nutrition, enduring partnerships, and long-term value for its
stakeholders.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking
statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The
forward-looking statements are based on management’s current intent, belief, expectations,
estimates and projections regarding our Company and our industry. These statements are not
guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that are difficult to predict and may be beyond our control. The factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements include, among
others, (i) the risk factors set forth the Company’s SEC Filings (including its Annual Report on
Form 10-K, as updated in Part II Item A of the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current
Reports on Form 8-K), (ii) the risks and hazards inherent in the shell egg, egg products, and
prepared foods operations (including, as applicable, disease, pests, weather conditions, and
potential for product recall), including but not limited to the current outbreak of HPAI affecting
poultry in the U.S., Canada and other countries that was first detected in commercial flocks in the
U.S. in November 2023 and that first impacted our flocks in December 2023, (iii) changes in the
demand for and market prices of shell eggs and feed costs as well as increase in input costs for
prepared foods, (iv) our ability to predict and meet demand for cage-free and other specialty eggs,
(v) risks, changes, or obligations that could result from our recent or future acquisition of new
flocks or businesses, such as our acquisition of Echo Lake Foods completed June 2, 2025, and
risks or changes that may cause conditions to completing a pending acquisition not to be met, (vi)
our ability to successfully integrate and manage recently acquired businesses like Echo Lake
Foods and realize the expected benefits of such acquisitions, including synergies, cost savings,
reduction in earnings volatility, margin expansion, financial returns, expanded customer
relationships, or sales or growth opportunities, (vii) our ability to compete effectively with existing
and new market entrants, retain existing customers, acquire new customers and grow our product
mix including our prepared foods product offerings, (viii) the impacts and potential future impacts
of government, customer and consumer reactions to recent high market prices for eggs, (ix)
potential impacts to our business as a result of our Company ceasing to be a “controlled company”
under the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market on April 14, 2025, (x) risks relating to potential
changes in inflation, interest rates and trade and tariff policies, (xi) adverse results in pending
litigation and other legal matters, and (xii) global instability, including as a result of the war in
Ukraine, the conflicts involving Israel and Iran, and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The
Company’s SEC filings may be obtained from the SEC or the Company’s website,
www.calmainefoods.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward -looking
statements because, while we believe the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements
are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will
prove to be accurate. Further, forward-looking statements included herein are made only as of the
respective dates thereof, or if no date is stated, as of the date hereof. Except as otherwise required
by law, we disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements,
whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Contacts
Investors: ir@cmfoods.com
Media: media@cmfoods.com
Telephone: (601) 948-6813