Tyson Foods has announced that it will invest $48 million to expand its poultry operation in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
Nearly 70 jobs will be created by the project, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Built by Tyson Foods and opened in 1991, the Pine Bluff plant and related operations produce fully cooked chicken products for foodservice and retail customers. The facility employs more than 1,100 people.
The newly announced investment will introduce extra capacity to the plant’s fully cooked processing lines, which manufacture chicken tenders and strips, boneless and bone-in wings, and air-fried products.
The project will also add automated processes to product packing lines.
“The demand for convenient, high-quality chicken products continues to grow and we’re investing in projects that meet the needs of our customers and consumers,” said Donnie King, chief operating officer and group president, poultry for Tyson Foods.
“We’d like to thank the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County for their assistance and support of this project.”
Mike Preston, secretary of commerce and executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, said: “Tyson Foods is a homegrown company that has forever altered the economic landscape in Arkansas.
“Poultry production is responsible for about 25% of the agriculture jobs in Arkansas, making the state one of the top five broiler producer states in the country. This expansion is a direct reflection of Tyson’s commitment to the Pine Bluff community and the confidence they have in our workforce.”
Tyson Foods recently inaugurated a new poultry complex in Humboldt, Tennessee, following a total investment of $425 million.
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