Bartlett, a Savage Company, and Shell Rock Soy Processing, LLC (SRSP) have announced their intention to combine their soybean crush businesses. The partnership aims to create scale, destination market differentiation, and minimize geographic risks for both companies.
Strategic Combination
The combination will bring together two complementary organizations committed to connecting U.S. farmers with expanding markets for food, feed, and renewable fuels. Together, they will create a larger, more robust platform for long-term growth while preserving operational strengths and relationships.
Bartlett's Executive Director Bob Knief stated, "Shell Rock fits perfectly in the Bartlett network. This combination will offer growth opportunities for our business and team members, create efficiencies and resilience, and allow us to better serve our customers."
Branding and Operations
The joined company will adopt Bartlett's branding, leveraging its 118-year history in sourcing, processing, and transporting grains and oilseeds while gaining SRSP's extensive oilseed crush industry experience. Both companies' crush plants are designed to double their current capacity, providing significant growth potential. Bartlett's plant is in Cherryvale, Kansas, and SRSP's is in Shell Rock, Iowa, supporting geographic risk diversification.
SRSP CEO Corey Jogenson expressed enthusiasm: "We are thrilled about the potential to grow and enhance our value through this partnership. Our shared purpose of connecting U.S. farmers to their markets makes this joint venture a natural fit."
Continuity and Timeline
Both facilities will continue operations, and leaders assure employees, customers, and suppliers of continuity throughout the integration process. The business combination is expected to close by January 2027, subject to due diligence and closing conditions.
About the Companies
SRSP is the first independently built and owned company to join the U.S. soy crush industry in many years. Its state-of-the-art facility in Shell Rock, Iowa, commenced operations in December 2022 and employs over 60 people.
Bartlett, established in 1907, joined the Savage family in 2018. It focuses on grain acquisition, storage, transportation, processing, and merchandising, and is a leading U.S. grain exporter to Mexico. Bartlett also produces flour and plays a growing role in the food and renewable fuel sector.
Savage, founded in 1946, is a private company based in Midvale, Utah, with over 4,000 team members across more than 100 locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.
