Tyson Foods to Build $320M Processing Plant in KansasTyson Foods to Build $320M Processing Plant in Kansas

September 6, 2017

2 Min Read
Tyson Foods to Build $320M Processing Plant in Kansas
Tyson Foods intends to build a new processing plant in Kansas. Image courtesy of Tyson Foods

Strong demand for chicken products is prompting Tyson Foods Inc. to invest $320 million in the construction of a poultry complex and processing plant in Kansas, the Springdale, AR-based food company announced Tuesday.

The processing plant, hatchery, and feed mill will be built near Tonganoxie, KS and employ some 1600 workers when the site becomes operational. Slated for completion in mid-2019, the Tyson complex will focus on production of packed trays of fresh chicken for retail grocery. Tyson’s new plant has a planned processing capacity of 1.25 million birds/wk.

“More people want fresh food and, as one of the world’s leading protein companies, we’re well positioned to provide it,” Tom Hayes, the firm’s chief executive officer and president said in a press release. “We believe this new operation, which will incorporate the latest production technology, will enable us to meet the sustained growth in consumer demand for fresh chicken.”

Tyson said it is plans are afoot to purchase 300 acres of land near Tonganoxie and that a groundbreaking ceremony will likely be held this fall. The company said its payments to farmers, payroll, and costs for grain and utilities will likely total $150 million per year.

“We believe eastern Kansas is the right location because of the availability of grain and labor, as well as access to our nationwide customer base that is accessible through the state’s top-notch transportation,” Tyson’s group president for Poultry, Doug Ramsey, said in a statement.

The company currently has operations in six Kansas locations.

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