Introduction
Integrated Proteins LLC, a Kansas City supplier of custom protein ingredients to pet-food makers, filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition on May 6, 2026. The case sits in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas as Case No. 26-20713-11, before Judge Dale L. Somers.
For creditors, suppliers, distressed investors, and credit-risk teams, the hard part is separating docketed facts from press summaries. Several figures circulating online, including a reported liability level above $500 million, are not verified against the petition.
This article covers the verified filing facts, the business and litigation backdrop, what Chapter 11 means for each stakeholder group, and what to track next. Always confirm details against the live docket.
Key Takeaways
- Integrated Proteins and four affiliates are shown as jointly administered in the Kansas bankruptcy court.
- Confirm asset and liability ranges from the original petition before quoting them.
- Interim cash-collateral and critical-vendor relief were granted early in the case.
- The general proofs-of-claim deadline was August 15, 2026; governmental claims are due November 9, 2026.
What the Integrated Proteins Chapter 11 Filing Says
Debtors, Court, and Case Structure
The lead debtor is Integrated Proteins LLC. Affiliated debtors in the jointly administered cases are:
- NutriHub LLC (26-20714-11)
- HFO Logistics LLC (26-20715-11)
- Innovity Ventures LLC (26-20800-11)
- Hubbard Ingredients, LLC (26-20802-11)
An August 19 docket caption also lists Purdy Boys, LLC (26-21116-11). When it was added to joint administration is not clearly shown on the docket, so confirm the timing there.
Financial Estimates
The petition contains checkboxes for asset range, liability range, creditor count, and whether funds will be available to unsecured creditors after administrative expenses. The checkbox values on extracted copies are misaligned and cannot be reliably quoted, so use the original petition image.
Whatever the petition says, these are the debtor's initial estimates. They are not audited valuations, allowed claims, or a forecast of recoveries. Whether unsecured creditors see any distribution is decided later, through claims allowance and a confirmed plan or sale proceeds.
The Kansas City Business Journal reported liabilities could exceed $500 million. That is a press account, not a transcription of the petition.
Professionals and Oversight
- Debtor's counsel: David Thomas Prelle Eron of Prelle Eron & Bailey, P.A.
- Chief restructuring officer: David R. Payne, who signed the petition.
- CRO application: Debtors sought to employ Marshall & Stevens and Payne (Dkt. 18). The creditors' committee objected to the application in its then-current form, and no approval order is readily available on the docket.
- Creditors' committee: The U.S. Trustee appointed an Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors on May 26 (Dkt. 126). It selected McDermott Will & Schulte LLP as counsel and Province LLC as financial advisor, subject to court approval.
No Subchapter V election, trustee, or examiner appointment is readily apparent from the docket. Confirm any such designation against the original petition or a court order before treating the case as Subchapter V.
Where news reports and the docket differ, the docket controls.
Business and Litigation Context
What the Company Does
Company materials describe a supplier of custom animal-protein ingredients for pet-food makers, including poultry, meat, marine, and hydrolyzed proteins. It reports global sourcing, in-house labs, and transportation resources. Its principal address is 1480 NW Vivion Road, Kansas City, Missouri.
A later group filing describes Integrated Proteins as the primary operating manufacturer and seller, HFO Logistics as the freight provider, and NutriHub as sole member of both. A customer list and verified facility count are not readily available.
For scale, the Pet Food Institute's 2025 ingredient analysis estimates 1.6 million tons of animal-protein meals and fats went into U.S. pet food in 2024. That is industry context, not Integrated Proteins' market share.
Reported Lawsuits
| Matter | What is reported | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Customer contract dispute | A client's breach-of-contract trial date was reportedly approaching at filing | Client, court, claims, and outcome not verified |
| Toliver v. Integrated Proteins (W.D. Mo., No. 5:25-cv-06150-SRB) | Allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation | Allegations only; no judgment or settlement verified |
| Former-employee age-discrimination suit | Reported by News-Press NOW | Not verified from a court filing |
These are allegations, not findings. Neither the filing nor public reporting establishes that litigation caused the bankruptcy. Customer concentration, commodity exposure, and financing pressure remain unverified as well.
What Chapter 11 Means for Integrated Proteins and Its Stakeholders
How the Process Works
Chapter 11 is a court-supervised reorganization, typically used by businesses. According to the U.S. Courts overview, the debtor generally stays in possession unless a trustee is appointed.
What Has Happened on the Docket
- Critical vendors: Dkt. 30 sought to pay certain prepetition vendor claims. The court granted it at the May 14 hearing.
- Employee wages: Dkt. 65 is an interim order granting part of the wage relief.
- Cash collateral: Dkt. 31 sought use of cash collateral, and Dkt. 70 is an agreed interim order with adequate protection. A final hearing was set for June 11; confirm the final outcome on the docket.
- Committee position: The committee did not oppose going-concern relief in principle but challenged the critical-vendor motion as presented.
A separate DIP financing motion or contract assumption/rejection motion is not readily available on the accessible docket, so confirm the full docket before treating that gap as definitive.
Key Code Provisions
- Automatic stay (§362): Pauses many collection, litigation, and repossession actions, with exceptions and stay-relief motions.
- Executory contracts (§365): For a custom-ingredient maker, supply, freight, and customer contracts can be assumed, rejected, or renegotiated.
- Conversion or dismissal (§1112): Available for cause, by court order.
Who Is Affected
- Employees: Face operational uncertainty, though wage relief has been addressed.
- Customers: Weigh continuity and quality risk.
- Suppliers: Review credit terms and critical-vendor eligibility.
- Secured lenders: Protect collateral through adequate protection.
- Unsecured creditors: Follow claims procedures and the committee's activity.
Seek case-specific advice from bankruptcy counsel before acting.
What Creditors, Customers, and Investors Should Watch Next
Monitoring Checklist
- Schedules and statements: Generally due within 14 days of a voluntary petition under Rule 1007, unless extended.
- Cash-collateral and financing orders: Confirm whether final orders replaced the interim order.
- Claims deadlines: The general bar date was August 15, 2026 (passed as of October 20). Governmental claims are due November 9, 2026.
- Section 341 meeting: Run by the U.S. Trustee; confirm the scheduled date on the docket.
- Monthly operating reports: Confirm which form and deadline apply, and whether small-business status applies.
- Plan milestones: Debtors typically hold a 120-day exclusive period to file a plan, which courts can extend.
What to Verify Before Acting
- Which debtor entity owes you
- Your claim type and priority
- Contract status and invoices
- Any security interests
- Proof-of-claim requirements and court orders
Paths the Case Could Take
A plan and disclosure statement, an asset sale, conversion to Chapter 7, or dismissal would each change recoveries and control. Nothing in the record predicts which path this case will follow.
Also track:
- Professional-fee applications
- Adversary proceedings
- Examiner or trustee requests
Record filing dates, document numbers, and deadlines, and note any change to creditor treatment. Rely on court records over news summaries.
How BankruptcyData Can Support Integrated Proteins Case Research
BankruptcyData provides unified bankruptcy, court, stakeholder, market, and historical-outcome intelligence, with licensed data delivery and API integrations. It is a research tool, not a source of legal advice, and it has no special access to Integrated Proteins information.
For a multi-debtor case like this, it serves law firms, distressed investors, turnaround advisors, commercial-credit teams, and data vendors that track cases alongside comparable U.S. proceedings. For scale, U.S. Courts data recorded 9,766 business Chapter 11 cases in the 12 months ending June 30, 2026.
A repeatable workflow looks like this:
- Identify the filing and every affiliated debtor.
- Validate the docket against the petition.
- Monitor material events, such as financing orders and bar dates.
- Map stakeholders, advisors, and committee members.
- Compare precedent cases, timelines, and outcomes.
- Preserve a full-lifecycle record of the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my company files Chapter 11?
The business generally keeps operating under court supervision. The automatic stay pauses most collection activity, first-day relief covers routine operations, and creditors can participate. The case can end in reorganization, sale, dismissal, or conversion.
What is Chapter 11 vs 13?
Chapter 11 is mainly a business reorganization chapter. Chapter 13 is a repayment plan for eligible individuals with regular income and debt under statutory limits. Confirm eligibility with counsel.
Can Chapter 11 turn into Chapter 7?
Yes. Under §1112, a court can convert or dismiss a case for cause, subject to statutory requirements. Outcomes for the debtor and creditors can differ sharply.
What court is handling the Integrated Proteins bankruptcy?
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas, Case No. 26-20713-11. Confirm against the docket for any later venue or administration changes.
What should creditors do after a Chapter 11 filing?
Monitor the docket, preserve records, review claim and contract status, and observe court deadlines. Consult bankruptcy counsel before pursuing collection or litigation.
