ELGIN, ILL. – The Middleby Corp. announced on Feb. 25 that it plans split part of its food processing business into a standalone public company. The spin-off is expected to be finalized by early 2026.

 “As an independent company, Middleby Food Processing will become an even more focused and scaled entity, with best-in-class solutions serving attractive markets supported by favorable industry trends,” said Tim Fitzgerald, chief executive officer of Middleby. “Significant potential for growth exists organically and through continued strategic M&A, with a robust pipeline of existing opportunities. We believe this separation will deliver benefits for our customers and team members, all while creating significant long-term value for our shareholders.”

Middleby Food Processing will focus on machines and technologies that deal with industrial, protein, bakery and snack processors. After the separation is completed, Middleby RemainCo will specialize in kitchen equipment made for commercial foodservice and residential use.

Along with the transition of a new company, Middleby added to its board of directors Julie Bowerman, chief marketing officer for Kellanova, and investor Ed Garden.

“We are pleased to welcome Julie and Ed to Middleby’s board,” Fitzgerald said. “We are confident they will be valuable additions to our boardroom with unique expertise and insights as we advance the execution of Middleby’s long-term strategy and maximize shareholder value. I look forward to partnering with Julie and Ed on the path ahead to continue unlocking Middleby’s value potential as we optimize our portfolio and complete our spin-off transaction to best position Middleby Food Processing and Middleby RemainCo for success and industry leadership.”

The appointment of Garden to the board comes after a cooperation agreement made with his company, Garden Investments, which was highlighted in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing by Middleby.