Sanford Milling brands and equipment sold; no layoffs

Oct. 22—HENDERSON — The Hartness family has owned Sanford Milling Co. Inc., a soft red winter wheat mill, for four generations.

A news release Thursday announced that now-former owner Scott Hartness gave up that longtime ownership in a sale to two companies. The sale closed in late September.

Kittrell-based Buffaloe Milling bought Sanford Milling's equipment and facilities. They plan to operate the plant in Henderson with the same staff for the foreseeable future, and have been now for 2 1/2 weeks.

Daryl Spencer, Buffaloe's president, said his company got "a lot" of flour out of the sale as well as the ability to mill it. Buffaloe's product repertoire includes hush puppy and biscuit mixes.

"I needed a source and I didn't want to get it freighted in," Spencer said.

Though another company picked up the labels, Buffaloe managed to capture some of the business Sanford Milling got, according to Spencer.

The trademarks Daily Bread, Snowflake and Hartness Select were sold to the Ohioan company Mennel Milling. President Ford Mennel could not be reached for comment.

Now-former owner Scott Hartness declined to comment. John McAllister, the broker in charge of the sale, said Hartness was looking to retire as soon as possible and that the sale was "advantageous" for all parties involved.

McAllister, based in South Carolina, reached out to The Dispatch because he wanted to ensure people knew about the change in their community. Hartness retained the Alabama-based Redfield Group Auctions to help oversee the sale. Sabre Capital provided advisory services.

The opportunity to buy Sanford Milling was presented at the National Land Conference in San Antonio earlier this year.