CINCINNATI - Pierre Foods Inc., a manufacturer of convenience sandwiches sold in the vending channel, is merging with two Oklahoma-based convenience foodmakers, Advance Food Co. Inc. and Advance Brands LLC, reports Vending Times.

The combined company, Advance Pierre Foods, will supply the foodservice, school, retail, club, vending and convenience store channels. Products will include packaged sandwiches, fully cooked chicken and beef products, Philly-style steak, breaded beef, pork and poultry, along with bakery products.

Pierre Foods was established in 1946 and is headquartered in Cincinnati. Its latest product, Smart Picks, is a line of kid-friendly foods formulated to meet increasingly stringent nutritional guidelines in schools.

Advance Food Co., founded in 1973, manufactures pre-portioned, ready-to-cook and fully cooked beef, pork, veal and chicken, along with turkey food products. Advance Brands is a joint venture between Advance Food Co. and Cargill Meat Solutions formed in 2001 that supplies chicken, beef and pork products under the brand names Fast Classics, Fast Fixin?? and Steak-Eze to supermarkets and club stores nationwide.

The transaction combining the three food companies is expected to close within two months.