Western Smokehouse Partners, headquartered in Galesburg and a leading provider of better-for-you meat snacks, has acquired Junior’s Smokehouse, a respected manufacturer based in El Campo, Texas.
The acquisition, announced Monday, Jan. 26, adds 40 years of smokehouse heritage and expertise in hand-crafted jerky, smoked sausages and specialty meats. Western Smokehouse Partners, which currently employs 300 people across three locations in Galesburg, will integrate the Texas facility into its network spanning Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Idaho and now Texas.
“Junior’s Smokehouse has built an incredible legacy rooted in quality, craftsmanship, and care for their people. These values strongly align with who we are at Western Smokehouse Partners,” said Matt Bormann, CEO of Western Smokehouse Partners. “Their team and experience help reinforce our foundation and opens the door to what’s possible in the years ahead.”
To support customer growth, Western Smokehouse Partners will break ground on a second manufacturing facility in El Campo in early 2026. The company plans to maintain production at the existing site while investing in training and operational support for Junior’s Smokehouse employees.
Scott Chambers, CEO of Junior’s Smokehouse, said, “Joining Western Smokehouse Partners marks an exciting new chapter for our team. Their commitment to quality and investment in people gives us confidence that our work will not only continue but grow in new and meaningful ways.”
Doug Hankes, chief operating officer of Western Smokehouse Partners, added that the company will embrace what makes Junior’s Smokehouse unique while helping it scale.
“We believe in embracing what makes Junior’s Smokehouse unique while helping them scale for the future,” Hankes said. “Their tradition of hand-crafted quality meat products will be a powerful addition to our portfolio and to the customers we serve.”
Western Smokehouse Partners expects to process 160 million pounds of meat products annually and employ around 1,800 team members by the end of 2026.
