Mayor Paul Soglin said he is “encouraged” by the company’s interest. “The Reich company has a reputation of being very selective in acquiring properties, and so their interest in the Oscar Mayer plant is promising for our community,” Soglin said.

He said it is the first potential buyer he knows of.

“This is the most significant, realistic consideration I’ve seen,” Soglin said.

Kraft Heinz spokesman Michael Mullen also confirmed Reich Brothers’ interest.

“We are working with a potential buyer on the sale of our Madison facility,” Mullen said in a statement. “For now, the process remains ongoing and nothing is final. Once a decision has been reached, our employees will be the first to know. We’re committed to keeping the community informed of our progress.”

Kraft — Oscar Mayer’s parent company — merged with Heinz in 2015 and announced in November 2015 that the Madison Oscar Mayer operations would close. Production is expected to cease by the end of March.

Oscar Mayer has been manufacturing hot dogs and processed meats in Madison since 1919 and has long been one of the city’s most prominent and philanthropic employers. At its peak, in the 1970s, the company had more than 4,000 employees here.