Jack Link's Beef Jerky announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement to acquire a manufacturing facility in Mankato from JBS S.A., a Brazilian multinational food company.

Terms of the deal, which is expected to close by the end of the month, were not disclosed.

Jack Link's-which is based in Minong, Wisconsin-said it plans to retain current management and the 85 employees at the plant, which currently manufactures packaged meat snack products under the Pioneer snack brand and other private labels.

According to Jack Link's, the acquisition will enable the company to increase production capacity in order to meet growing consumer demand. The company said sales of its meat snacks category have increased 4.4 percent so far this year.

“JBS's Mankato plant is a perfect fit for our business with an experienced workforce and management team,” Jack Link, chairman and CEO of Jack Link's, said in a statement. “The addition of this plant gives us the opportunity to expand on our existing manufacturing operations and enhance our ability to meet our customers' needs.”

In addition to the Mankato facility acquisition, Jack Link's also announced that it has entered into a joint venture with JBS to operate two manufacturing facilities in the state of S‹o Paulo, Brazil.

“We are forming an ideal partnership in bringing together the largest beef producer with the number [one] meat snacks team to grow this business at a time when consumers are turning more and more toward, healthy protein-concentrated snacks,” Wesley Batista, president and CEO of JBS USA, said in a statement.

With the acquisition and the joint venture, Jack Link's will increase its number of manufacturing facilities from nine to 12.

-Melissa Loth