SMITHFIELD, Va. and KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Kansas City Sausage, LLC today announced construction of a $44.8 million, 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art sausage plant in Sampson County, NC. The project represents an investment by Kansas City Sausage, LLC, a 50-50 joint venture between Smithfield and Kansas City Sausage, that is expected to create 177 new jobs.
The plant will produce 50 million pounds of pork sausage annually and will be a comprehensive operation—from live animal harvest through finished product shipping—processing between 700 and 1,000 sows a day.
"We formed Kansas City Sausage in 2013 as part of our strategy to expand into the $4 billion breakfast and dinner sausage categories. This new facility is an essential part of that strategy and also underscores our commitment to broaden our product offerings through a focus on our customers, brands, products and geographic footprint," said Smithfield Foods' President and Chief Executive Officer C. Larry Pope.
He continued, "We are happy to see this part of our growth strategy continuing to take shape and are also proud to announce additions to our workforce."
The joint venture will construct the new production facility at the site of the former Martins Abattoir & Wholesale Meats in northwest Sampson County, which was purchased by Kansas City Sausage in April 2014. Demolition of the existing plant will begin immediately, with construction of the new facility expected to be completed by June 2016.
"The new Kansas City Sausage operation will have a positive impact on the local economy from the moment we break ground," said Justin Hanlon, CEO of Kansas City Sausage, LLC.
"Besides our investment in construction and the new workforce, we will contribute to increased demand for local hog production."
Smithfield's Pope commended the work of local, regional and state officials in North Carolina who partnered together and with Kansas City Sausage, LLC to identify financial incentives and infrastructure improvements that made the new plant feasible.
"We look forward to continued collaboration with the Sampson County community and the state of North Carolina," he said.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan's Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.