Hillshire to begin trading on NYSE

NEW YORK (AP) — Hillshire Brands Inc. is set to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange Friday after spinning off from Sara Lee Corp.

The new company will trade under the ticker "HSH" and focus on meat brands such as Jimmy Dean, Ball Park and its namesake Hillshire Farm, which Sara Lee acquired in 1971. It will also sell frozen desserts and bakery products.

The other company to emerge from Sara Lee will be an international coffee and tea company called D.E. Master Blenders 1753, referring to one of the company's coffee brands. That business will be based in the Netherlands.

Hillshire says the spinoff will let it focus on developing meat products that appeal to changing tastes.

The company will move its headquarters to Chicago early next year.