Esbenshade Farms Acquired by Two Family-Owned Agriculture Businesses - Lancaster Chamber of Commerce

Esbenshade Farms Acquired by Two Family-Owned Agriculture Businesses

RHEEMS, PA (May 1, 2023) – On Thursday, April 27, The Wenger Group, Inc. announced that it acquired the Esbenshade Feed Mill and its Mount Joy Properties along with all of Esbenshade’s swine operations. At the same time, Kreider Farms acquired all Esbenshade’s shell egg operations and the related customer base. The Esbenshade family has been engaged in Agriculture operations for over 55 years and recently decided to exit the majority of their operations in this area. When considering a potential acquirer, Glenn Esbenshade indicated that, “Wenger and Kreider have very similar core values to us and a passion to support the agriculture industry in Central Pennsylvania. It is apparent they truly care about farmers and operate with integrity with team members, farmers, customers, and suppliers.”

Barry Shaw, Wenger’s Chairman, noted, “The Wenger Group is very excited to add the Esbenshade Mill to our network as we plan for the future. This operation, together with the sow operations we acquired, will enable us to serve our existing customer base in new ways and also serve to support our growth with key players in the Mid-Atlantic pork packing industry.” Barry continued, “We want the Esbenshade team members, producers, customers, and suppliers to have a great experience with our organization and will work hard to ensure that occurs. We are also glad for the opportunity to incorporate Esbenshade’s assets and legacy in our family-owned business, which is now almost 80 years old.”

Ron Kreider, Kreider’s Chairman, shared “Like Esbenshade, Kreider Farms is a top-quality Lancaster County agricultural producer and processor. We share the same family values and the same dedication to quality and service. We look forward to welcoming Esbenshade employees and egg customers into our family.”

The Wenger Group, Inc. is a leading Northeast family-owned food, agricultural products, and agricultural services organization headquartered in Pennsylvania. The Company offers animal nutrition and feeds; specialty protein production, processing, and marketing; on-farm protein production services; and grain, fertilizer, and ingredient procurement.

Kreider Farms is a diverse family farming business encompassing approximately 3,000 acres and supplies retail and wholesale customers with farm-fresh milk, ice cream, eggs, and more.


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