Meat processing giant Tyson Foods has sold two of its Alabama poultry plants and related support facilities to Illinois-based Koch Foods for an undisclosed sum.

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The sale is part of Tyson’s strategy to reduce its production of commodity chicken. In addition to its processing plants in Ashland and Gadsden, the sale also includes the company’s Talladega feed mill, as well as its Fairknoll and Empire hatcheries.


“We determined it made sense to sell these commodity operations since our company has become more focused on value-added chicken production, which typically involves producing boneless, marinated or cooked products,” said Bill Lovette, senior group vice president of poultry and prepared foods at Tyson.


Tyson, which is the world’s largest processor of chicken, beef and pork, said that more than 800 of the 1,200 people employed at the various locations being sold have been re-employed by Koch Foods.

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