US agribusiness giant Cargill is to invest US$2.3m in the installation of ground beef production and packaging equipment at a site in Pennsylvania.

The investment, designed to meet growing retail and consumer demand for its products, will add “significant” capacity to the Wyalusing plant, in addition to around 20 jobs.

“Cargill produces more ground beef than any other company in the world, and demand continues to be strong for this form of protein as an American staple food,” said Andy Ripic, Cargill VP and plant general manager at Wyalusing. “With the arrival of spring we will soon be getting into the grilling season, so installing equipment, adding jobs and filling the ground beef needs for retailers we serve in the northeast is a ‘win’ for everyone involved.”

Cargill’s investment of ground beef production equipment at the plant will serve customers in the north-east of the US. The plant processes up to 1,800 head of cattle daily.