Emory & Co. served as the exclusive financial advisor to Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats in its sale to Whetstone Distribution, a portfolio company of Shore Capital Partners. The transaction closed in May 2024. The terms were not disclosed.

Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats, based in New Berlin, WI, is a full-service meat processing and distribution business that specializes in providing restaurants, hotels, country clubs, health care facilities and other customers with custom-cut proteins and a variety of other items. The Company’s business also includes specialty prepared and ready-to-eat products, including pastrami, corned beef, sausage, and other smoked and marinated specialty meats.

Herb Pritzlaff opened the Company’s first shop on Vilet Street in downtown Milwaukee in 1942. Bruce and Mike Pritzlaff, the third generation of family operators, have continued the family’s legacy of quality and service—after taking over day-to-day operations from their father in the 1990s—while continuing to grow and expand the business.

“After 80-plus years of family ownership, and four generations of family involvement, I’m extremely excited to be partnering with Whetstone Distribution,” said Bruce Pritzlaff, President of Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats. “This partnership allows us to further strengthen and grow all core aspects of our company as well as expand our geographic footprint, from Wisconsin and Northern Illinois further into the greater Midwest.”

Whetstone Distribution, a collection of regional food distributors, is a portfolio company of Shore Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm.

“We ran a full-scale process, contacting numerous strategic buyers and private equity groups. Ultimately, Whetstone Distribution emerged as the clear choice as the best buyer and best fit,” said Taylor Kotke, Managing Director at Emory & Co.

“Having known the Pritzlaff family for many years, I am honored to have worked with them to transition their business to new owners who will continue to support the Company’s legacy and help further accelerate growth,” added Steve Becker, Managing Director of Emory & Co.

Emory & Co. worked closely with Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats and its owners throughout the sale process, leading the marketing, negotiation and due diligence phases of the transaction.