US meat processor Smithfield Foods is investing US$100m to build a new distribution centre and expand its blast cell cold storage facility in Tar Heel, North Carolina.
The company said today (22 August) the projects are expected to create 250 jobs, with more potentially in the pipeline. Construction of the 500,000 square foot distribution centre will begin this month, while the cold storage expansion is underway. Both are to be completed by autumn 2018.
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Smithfield Foods, which is part of China’s WH Group, is a $15bn global food company and is deemed the world’s largest pork processor. The Tar Heel plant employs about 5,000 people and processes more than 30,000 hogs a day.
Earlier in August, the firm announced it would take full control of Kansas City Sausage Company after forming a 50/50 joint venture in 2013. In June, it completed the acquisition of the Pini Group’s packaged meats companies in Poland, which will be operated by Polish food producer Animex Foods.
In November last year, Smithfield Foods said it would purchase Hormel Foods’ Clougherty Packing, the parent company of Farmer John and Saag’s Specialty Meats, as well as two processing facilities and three farms.
Commenting on the latest plans, president and CEO Kenneth Sullivan said: “This expansion reflects the promising new era we are experiencing at Smithfield. It supports our continued growth and helps us better serve our customers by providing additional capacity and optimising our distribution footprint.”
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