USA – Pure Prairie Poultry has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Minnesota.
The Iowa-based poultry company, headquartered in Charles City, has been operational since 2021, when it took over a poultry plant that had been closed by its previous owner, Simply Essentials, in 2019.
According to information from KIMT, the company’s bankruptcy filing disclosed that it owes hundreds of creditors a total ranging between US$100 million and US$500 million, while its assets are valued at only between US$50 million and US$100 million.
As part of the bankruptcy process, Pure Prairie Poultry is also seeking US$15 million in debtor-in-possession financing to maintain operations while pursuing a sale of the business.
Pure Prairie Poultry, which markets itself as a supplier of premium chicken products to retail, deli, and food service sectors, emphasizes that its products are “all-natural, air-chilled, and well-trimmed.”
The company also notes that its chickens are raised without antibiotics and are fed a vegetable- and grain-based diet under strict animal welfare guidelines.
In 2023, the company secured US$37.6 million in loan funding for plant renovations and upgrades, facilitated through the USDA’s Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program.
Greater Commercial Lending played a key role in securing the loan for the company.
Brian Roelofs, president and CEO of Pure Prairie Poultry, leads the company alongside a team of experienced professionals, some of whom have held positions at well-known poultry companies such as Foster Farms, Tyson Foods, and Zacky Farms.
Despite its financial troubles, Pure Prairie Poultry has made efforts to expand its market presence.
In late 2023, it introduced a retail brand named after the company itself—Pure Prairie Poultry™—which was initially made available at over 50 locations across Coborn’s, Cashwise, and Marketplace stores in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
The company had ambitious plans for expansion throughout the Midwest and beyond.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Brad Vokac, highlighted that the brand’s products feature smaller chickens for a more tender texture.
He also stressed that their air-chilling method enhances the cooking and taste experience, while fixed-weight packaging with consistent piece sizes offers time-saving benefits to retailers.
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