Butterball to Invest a Total of $8.7 Million in Two Arkansas Processing Facilities

Butterball, one of the largest producers of turkey products in the United States, announced that it is investing a combined $8.7 million and creating a total of 360 new jobs within three years in two processing facilities in Northwest Arkansas. The expansion includes a $4.7 million investment in Ozark where the company will create 160 jobs and a $4 million investment in Huntsville where it will create 200 new jobs.

“Having been a longstanding employer in Arkansas through our feed mills, turkey growing operations and production facilities, Butterball appreciates the continued support from the state of Arkansas as we look to...

Cargill Opens Antibiotic-Free Premix Plant in Ohio 

During a virtual event for producers, customers and media, Cargill announced the opening of its new premix animal nutrition facility in Lewisburg, Ohio. The 220,000 square-foot, future-ready facility is deploying advanced technology not previously used in animal agriculture or pet food production that allows the use of less resources to produce feed, while ensuring the highest quality and traceability of its products for Cargill customers.

The Lewisburg West facility broke ground on November 8, 2018 and represents a $50 million investment in expanding Cargill’s existing feed production operations. The facility produces...

Hormel Foods Opens its Newest Production Facility

Hormel Foods Corporation, a global branded food company, announced the opening of its newest production facility, Papillion Foods, located in Papillion, Nebraska, which will make dry sausage products for the company.

"We are excited to be opening up this facility to not only help meet the demand for our branded sausage products, but also provide fantastic career opportunities in our community," said Ed Finnegan, Papillion Foods plant manager. "We've been able to...

Tyson Foods Announces Plans for Additional Production Facilities for Its International Business

Tyson Foods, Inc. announced plans to build new production facilities in China and Thailand, and expand its facility in the Netherlands. The latest expansions, adding over 100,000 metric tons of fully cooked poultry capacity, build on the company’s global growth strategy to become the leader in protein by serving emerging markets and strategic customers.

“Global population and income growth will continue to drive an increased need for protein,” said Dean Banks, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. “These investments allow us to increase our in-country operations and global export capabilities, helping us bring more safe, high-quality protein for...

Agrotop to Build Georgia's Largest Food Processing Plant for Chirina

Agrotop, a leading global player in the poultry and livestock industry, will build a new state-of-the-art meat processing plant for Chirina, Georgia's largest food-producing company.

The completed ready-to-eat (RTE) food processing plant is expected to begin production within a year and generate 8–10 tons of chicken products per day. The factory, which will be Georgia's largest, will produce sliced meats, sausages and cold cuts.

The new production facility will be built in a modular way, enabling...

Eat Just and Proterra Asia Partner on JUST Egg Protein Facility and Expansion

Eat Just, Inc. announced a partnership with a consortium led by Proterra Investment Partners Asia Pte. Ltd. (Proterra Asia), an investment management firm focused on the food and agribusiness sectors, to meet demand for the plant-based JUST Egg in Asia.

The consortium will invest up to $100 million and Eat Just will invest up to $20 million to build and operate their first-in-Asia, and largest, plant protein production facility in Singapore. The resulting Eat Just subsidiary, to be known as Eat Just Asia, will serve JUST Egg manufacturing and distribution partners across Asia.

The partnership combines Eat Just’s proprietary protein separation technology, leadership and innovative business model with...

French Plant-Based Protein Maker Roquette Sees Short-Term COVID-19 Impact

The plant-based protein market has seen a slowdown in new product launches and lower sales in restaurants and cafeterias due to COVID-19 but benefited from more people cooking at home and trying new products, French manufacturer Roquette said.

The market for plant-based protein such as meat-free burgers has surged in the past few years, attracting major investment from global agrifood groups, including Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, and Nestle, hoping to capitalize on a trend towards healthy eating generally, including less red meat.

But lockdowns around the world to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have shaken the market, Jean-Philippe Azoulay, Head of Pea and New Proteins Business at French ingredient maker...

Bell & Evans Begins Construction On an Organic Chicken Facility

Premium poultry producer Bell & Evans began construction on a new 411,500 square foot, Organic-Certified Chicken Harvesting Facility in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania. The first precast walls were placed in July, and the facility will be operational by late 2021. The project will cost the company approximately $330 million and double its current production capacity.

Bell & Evans produces 100% premium Raised Without Antibiotics chicken and Organic chicken, approximately 60% and 40% of its business, respectively. The additional capacity will allow Bell & Evans to continue expanding...

Amazon to Add Thousands of Jobs to Phoenix Metro Area

Amazon.com, Inc. announced 11 new sites across the Phoenix metro area expected to be open by the end of 2020 to support customer fulfillment and delivery operations. The new sites are expected to create more than 3,000 new full- and part-time jobs with a minimum $15 per hour wage and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.

The news follows Amazon’s recent announcement of the company’s Phoenix Tech Hub expansion at 100 Mill, which will bring more than...

Kroger and Ocado Announce Three Additional Regions for Customer Fulfillment Centers

Kroger and Ocado announced the continued expansion of their partnership with plans to construct three new Customer Fulfillment Centers (CFC) in the Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest and West regions.

"Kroger is incredibly excited to construct three additional industry-leading Customer Fulfillment Centers across the country in relationship with Ocado to bring fresh food to our customers more conveniently than ever before," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of supply chain, manufacturing and sourcing. "Through our strategic partnership, we are...

Quirch Foods Opens New Distribution Center 

Quirch Foods, LLC opens its sixth distribution center in Greensboro North Carolina. The expansion is an essential component to the growth of the company which seeks to continue expanding and leveraging its distribution reach. Currently operating with 5 distribution centers located throughout the Southeast and the Caribbean, the sixth facility is set to begin operations in early March of 2020. The addition of this warehouse facility extends the company’s reach and ability to service independent and national supermarkets in and around the Carolinas and northward.

“We continue to look for opportunities to expand our reach and find strategic locations which will facilitate a...