US agri-food business Cargill is investing US$4.2m to expand production of ground beef at its plant in Columbia, South Carolina.

Output will increase 15% once new “precision” grinding equipment is installed at the site in May, giving Cargill’s protein division the added capacity to meet demand in the east of the country, it said in a statement yesterday (31 January). 

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more

Cargill purchased the factory in 2016 and employs more than 200 people at the facility.

John Keating, president of business operations and the supply chain within Cargill’s protein division, said: “This investment shows our commitment to the beef industry in the eastern US and allows us to deliver on the increasing needs of beef customers in the region, through the installation of higher-performance production technologies.”

Expansion of the Columbia plant builds on $850m of investments made by Cargill over the past two years in the US and Canada. 

Those capital expenditures included $111m spent on converting a cooked meats plant in Nebraska, $27m to expand an egg processing facility in Michigan, $50m on a distribution centre at its Kansas beef plant, and $146m to expand a cooked meats facility in Tennessee.

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