May 24, 2006 10:26 AM, from staff and wire reports

Quaker Maid Meats, the Reading PA-based supplier of frozen sandwich steaks, has acquired the Steak-umm brand name and associated intellectual property from the Steak-umm Co Inc, its chief competitor. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Quaker Maid will continue to produce its current line of sandwich steaks as well as the Steak-umm brand.

Under the agreement, Quaker Maid will become the sole manufacturer and supplier of Steak-umm brand sandwich steaks under a new sister company, Steak-umm Co LLC, after a transition period expected to end in late August. Both companies will manufacture and ship all four Steak-umm sandwich steak SKUs during the transition period, ensuring no disruption in supermarket supplies.

The current Steak-umm Co will change its name and continue to manufacture its eXpress microwaveable sandwich fillings and Red-L hors d'oeuvres without the Steak-umm brand from its plant in Pomfret CT. The new company name has not been determined.

Quaker Maid will manufacture Steak-umm-branded sandwich steaks from its meat processing facilities in Reading.