US poultry group Peco Foods believes that the increased capacity it will gain through the opening of a new production facility will enable it to win new business.

The company announced plans to open a US$165m fully integrated poultry processing plant in Arkansas yesterday. The facility will produce boneless and partially cooked value added products, Peco chief executive Mark Hickman told just-food. Operating at full capacity, the facility will process up to 9.5m ready to cook dressed weight pounds per week.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

“New business will be added to the company as a whole with Western accounts being allocated to this production facility for saving in freight and shorter delivery times,” Hickman predicted. “It will improve our ability to service existing accounts while attracting new customers in the Western states.”

The site, to be located in Arkansas, will include a hatchery, feed mill and processing plant. Hickman said the location offers an “excellent labour pool”, access to feed grains – corn, milo and wheat – and freight savings.

Construction will begin in two phases: groundbreaking on the feed mill site is set for April and the first stages of work on the hatchery and processing plant site will begin in July. Hickman said Peco expects production to begin in January 2016, with volumes being “increased gradually” over an 18 month period.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact