Faegre Drinker Team Represents Watkins, LLC in its Acquisition of Sauer Brands’ Spice Business

A Faegre Drinker team led by corporate partners Ryan Woessner and Ryan Miske provided legal counsel to Watkins, LLC in its agreement to acquire Sauer Brands, Inc.’s spice business, including Kernel Season’s, Spice Hunter, and Sauer’s branded spices and seasonings, along with other spice-related private label and foodservice businesses.

The acquisition will expand Watkins’ spice and seasoning platform while allowing Sauer Brands to sharpen its focus on its flagship condiments portfolio, including Duke’s Mayonnaise and Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa. As part of the acquisition, Watkins will acquire branding and distribution rights to the spice and seasoning brands and take ownership of Sauer Brands’ manufacturing facilities in Richmond, Virginia, and San Luis Obispo, California. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

The team also included corporate partners Charles Bybee and Nicole Leimer, and associates Brian Kollatz, Jordan Ortmeier, Alexander MacPhee, Virginia Speck, and Katherine Vu; intellectual property partner Craig Komanecki and associate Owyn Ferguson; government and regulatory affairs counsel Thomas Duncan; labor and employment partners Stuart Buttrick and Daniel Prokott, and associate Erik Mosvick; benefits and executive compensation partner Page Fleeger and associate Ines Sosa; real estate associate Eric Cole; and product liability and mass torts associate Zachary Maciejewski.

For more information on the deal, see their joint press release.