Bridgford Foods Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and distributes frozen, refrigerated, and snack food products in the United States. It operates in two segments, Frozen Food Products and Snack Food Products. The company primarily offers biscuits, bread dough items, roll dough items, and dry sausage and beef jerky products. It provides approximately 130 frozen food products to food service and retail customers through wholesalers, cooperatives, and distributors; and 170 snack food items to supermarkets, and mass merchandise and convenience retail stores through customer-owned distribution centers, as well as a direct store delivery network. The company was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Bridgford Foods Corporation is a subsidiary of Bridgford Industries Incorporated.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
- The Pillsbury (General Mills) of frozen bread dough and biscuits.
- The Hormel Foods of processed meat snacks (pepperoni, salami, jerky).
- A compact food producer that operates like a blend of General Mills (for frozen dough) and Hormel Foods (for meat snacks).
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
- Frozen Bread Dough and Rolls: Bridgford Foods offers a variety of frozen bread dough and roll products for both retail and foodservice markets.
- Baked Goods: The company produces a range of ready-to-bake and ready-to-serve baked goods, including biscuits, sweet rolls, and other pastries.
- Snack Foods: Bridgford Foods manufactures and sells a line of ready-to-eat meat snacks such as beef jerky, pepperoni, and other dried meat products.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Bridgford Foods (BRID) primarily sells its products to other companies (B2B).
Its major customers, based on its most recent Form 10-K filing (fiscal year ended October 27, 2023), include:
- Walmart, Inc. (Symbol: WMT)
- McLane Company, Inc.
- Dot Foods, Inc.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Baron R.H. Bridgford II, President
Baron R.H. Bridgford II serves as the President and Chairman of the Executive Committee for Bridgford Foods Corporation. He has extensive experience within the food manufacturing sector, reflecting a deep commitment to the industry and an understanding of operational excellence. His leadership style emphasizes collaboration and strategic growth, which has been pivotal in advancing Bridgford Foods. His long tenure at Bridgford Foods signifies a stable and dedicated career path, primarily within the family business that traces its roots back to 1932.
Cindy Matthews-Morales, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary, and Controller
Cindy Matthews-Morales was appointed Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Executive Committee of Bridgford Foods Corporation effective October 29, 2022. She also holds the titles of Corporate Secretary and Controller. Matthews-Morales succeeded Raymond F. Lancy in the CFO role.
Michael W. Bridgford, Chairman of the Board
Michael W. Bridgford serves as the Chairman of the Board for Bridgford Foods Corporation. He is also a member of the three-member Executive Committee that manages the company and reports to the Board of Directors.
William L. Bridgford, Vice President
William L. Bridgford holds the position of Vice President at Bridgford Foods Corporation and is also a member of its Board of Directors.
Allan L. Bridgford, Consultant and Director
Allan L. Bridgford serves as a Consultant and Director for Bridgford Foods Corporation. He retired in late 2021 after more than 64 years of service, having previously held the roles of Vice President and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He previously served in leadership for Bridgford Foods of Illinois.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Bridgford Foods Corporation (BRID) faces several key risks to its business operations. The most significant risks include volatile commodity prices and inflationary pressures, substantial dependence on major customers, and concentrated family ownership.
Key Risks to Bridgford Foods (BRID)
-
Volatile Commodity Prices and Inflationary Pressures: Bridgford Foods is significantly exposed to fluctuations in the prices of raw materials such as pork, beef, and flour, along with rising operational costs. Prolonged periods of inflation can decrease consumers' discretionary spending, negatively impacting demand for Bridgford's products, especially its "impulse items". The company has experienced challenges in passing increased costs to consumers, leading to gross margin contraction and overall financial pressures.
-
Dependence on Major Customers: A substantial portion of Bridgford Foods' revenue is generated from a few major customers. For instance, sales to Walmart comprised 27.8% of revenues, and Dollar General accounted for 14.2% in fiscal year 2024. The loss of one or more of these key customers, or a significant reduction in their purchases, could have a material adverse effect on the company's revenues and profitability. The consolidation within the supermarket, warehouse club, and food distributor sectors also exacerbates this risk.
-
Concentrated Family Ownership and Control: Approximately 80% of Bridgford Foods' outstanding stock is beneficially owned by the Bridgford family. This high concentration of ownership allows the family to exert significant influence or control over corporate matters. While providing stability, this could also be an impediment to certain strategic changes or decisions that might be necessary for the company's future, such as asset sales or other corporate restructuring.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
The increasing consumer adoption and market expansion of plant-based meat alternative products, particularly in the snack food category. This trend directly threatens Bridgford Foods' traditional meat snack offerings, such as beef jerky, as consumers shift towards plant-based options driven by health, sustainability, and ethical considerations.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Bridgford Foods (symbol: BRID) operates in several segments of the food industry, with its main products encompassing frozen bakery items, meat snacks, and processed meats. The addressable markets for these key product categories are primarily within the United States and North America.
Frozen Bakery Products (including Frozen Bread Dough and Buttermilk Biscuits)
The U.S. frozen bakery products market is a significant addressable market for Bridgford Foods. This market was estimated at approximately USD 5.67 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to about USD 8.49 billion by 2032, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%. Another source indicates the U.S. frozen bakery products market is expected to reach USD 9.2 billion by 2030 with a 5.0% CAGR. More broadly, the U.S. frozen dough market, which includes bread and pizza dough, is projected to reach an estimated value of USD 6.55 billion by 2032. The overall North American frozen dough market is expected to reach approximately USD 8.36 billion by 2030.
Beef Jerky
Bridgford Foods' beef jerky products cater to the robust U.S. meat snacks market. The U.S. meat snacks market size was valued at USD 4.28 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow to USD 7.96 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 6.4%. Specifically for beef jerky, the market is projected to grow from USD 3.9 billion in 2025 to USD 6.0 billion by 2035 at a CAGR of 4.4%. North America held the largest share of the global jerky market in 2020, accounting for 52.0% of the revenue.
Shelf-Stable Dry and Semi-Dry Sausage (including Pepperoni)
The company's dry and semi-dry sausages, such as pepperoni and salami sticks, fall under the broader processed meat and pepperoni markets. The U.S. processed meat market was valued at approximately USD 128.28 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 235.60 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 6.25%. Another report states the U.S. processed meat market is expected to reach US$ 168.5 billion by 2033 from US$ 117.9 billion in 2024. The global pepperoni foods market, in which Bridgford Foods is a key player, was valued at USD 1.79 billion in 2024 and is expected to exceed USD 4.27 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 9.11%. North America holds the largest share in this market.
Shelf-Stable Sandwiches
Bridgford Foods also offers shelf-stable sandwiches. While specific market sizes for "shelf-stable sandwiches" are not readily available, this product category is part of the broader U.S. snacks market, which was estimated at USD 172.54 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to exceed USD 193.51 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of approximately 2.18%. Another estimate for the United States snacks market size reached around USD 350.59 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to nearly USD 485.07 billion by 2034. The increasing consumer demand for convenience foods and on-the-go meal options drives this market.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Here are the expected drivers of future revenue growth for Bridgford Foods (BRID) over the next 2-3 years:
- Strategic Price Adjustments: Bridgford Foods plans to implement strategic price increases across its product lines to offset rising commodity and operational costs and restore profitability. This approach is explicitly mentioned as a means to manage inflation and enhance margins.
- Growth in Snack and Frozen Food Product Volume: The company anticipates revenue growth through increased unit sales volume, particularly within its snack products and the retail segment of its frozen food products division. For instance, Q2 2025 saw a 7.0% sales growth driven by higher selling prices and improved unit sales volume in snack products, and a 27% increase in retail sales volume in the Frozen Food Products segment.
- Expansion in the Convenience Store (C-Store) Channel: Bridgford Foods is focused on expanding and growing its meat snack division within the convenience store channel, which was highlighted as a significant area of growth in the 2023 fiscal year.
- New Product Development and Innovation: Although recently launched products did not significantly contribute to revenue growth in fiscal year 2023, the company continues to focus on product innovation to drive long-term growth in the competitive bakery and snack foods industry. New products, such as Garlic Summer sausage, were launched towards the end of fiscal year 2023.
- Private-Label Product Arrangements: Bridgford Foods is concentrating on increasing product sales volume through private-label product arrangements, as indicated in its Q1 2025 report, which suggests a focus on leveraging these partnerships for future revenue generation.
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Share Repurchases
- Bridgford Foods has an authorized stock repurchase program, approved in November 1999 and expanded in June 2005, allowing for the purchase of up to 2,000,000 shares of common stock on the open market.
- As of November 1, 2024, 120,113 shares remained authorized for repurchase under this program.
- The company did not repurchase any shares of its common stock during fiscal years 2024 and 2023. Some reports also indicate no share repurchases have been made in the past seven to eight years.
Share Issuance
- During the fiscal years 2024 and 2023, Bridgford Foods did not sell or issue any equity securities that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933.
Inbound Investments
- In June 2022, Bridgford Foods sold its real property located at 170 N. Green Street in Chicago for $60,000,000.
- This sale significantly increased shareholders' equity by 68%, reduced long-term debt from $36 million to $3.89 million, and increased cash from zero to $16 million.
Outbound Investments
- Bridgford Foods has not been a party to any mergers, acquisitions, or disposed of any other material amounts of assets during the past five years, other than the aforementioned sale of its Chicago property in June 2022.
Capital Expenditures
- Capital expenditures for Bridgford Foods were approximately -$3.90 million in fiscal year 2024, -$2.60 million in fiscal year 2022, -$3.77 million in fiscal year 2021, and -$6.24 million in fiscal year 2020.
- The capital expenditures for the trailing twelve months ended July 2025 were -$3.26 million.
- The company's management believes its capital resources are sufficient to cover operating needs and capital expenditures for the remainder of fiscal year 2024.
