VEVEY, Switzerland (AP) -- Swiss food and beverage group Nestle is selling its Hills Bros., MJB and Chase & Sanborn coffee operations in the United States to Sara Lee Corp., which recently bought the Chock full o'Nuts coffee business.
Terms of the sale were not disclosed in today's announcement.Nestle also sold its Suffolk, Va., coffee plant as part of the deal.
Nestle had put the three brands up for sale last month, saying it wanted to focus on coffee-based beverages including a new premium line of its Nescafe brand in the United States. Nestle is also keeping its Taster's Choice brand.
Last year Nestle's global coffee sales amounted to approximately $6.41 billion, the bulk of that coming from instant coffee.
Sara Lee said the businesses it is acquiring have annual sales of approximately $280 million. The acquisition also includes the Hills Bros. and MJB business in Canada, as well as worldwide rights to the brands.
Chicago-based Sara Lee will offer to hire the plant's approximately 210 employees "in the same capacity or in comparable job," Nestle said in a statement.
Sara Lee's North American coffee and tea division also includes the Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems and Superior Coffee.