Tyson Foods opens US$355M bacon production facility in Kentucky

USA – Tyson Foods, a leading player in the meat and poultry processing industry, has officially opened its state-of-the-art US$355 million food production facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The investment, aimed at expanding bacon production capabilities, is set to propel Tyson Foods even further as a category leader in the industry.

The 400,000-square-foot facility, located in Warren County’s Kentucky Transpark, is expected to produce a staggering two million pounds of premium quality Jimmy Dean and Wright Brand bacon retail products and bacon used in foodservice every week.

According to the company, the launch of the plant marked a significant commitment to the local community and is anticipated to generate nearly 450 new jobs in southcentral Kentucky.

 “Our innovative new plant in Bowling Green reflects a major investment that we are proud to make in southcentral Kentucky. This enables us to focus on the health and safety of our team members while also delivering best-in-class service for our customers,” Donnie King, President and CEO of Tyson Foods said.

“The plant is positioned to meet the growing demand for bacon, which represents over US$1 billion in sales across retail and foodservice for Tyson Foods.”

Melanie Boulden, Group President of Prepared Foods and Chief Growth Officer at Tyson, highlighted the importance of the facility in driving innovation in the bacon category.

“Bacon is a growing category based on consumer demand, both at home and at restaurants, and our expanded production will enable us to lead this growth and drive innovation,” he noted.

Tyson Foods strategically chose Bowling Green as the plant’s location due to its proximity to raw materials in the pork supply chain and its accessibility to inbound and outbound transportation lanes.

The company emphasized that this location allows for end-to-end profitability by utilizing pork bellies primarily from Tyson Foods’ pork segment.

“Efficiency is a key focus for the new facility, incorporating high-tech robots, driverless forklifts, and autonomous guide vehicles to streamline production processes.”

Tyson Foods has also partnered with Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College to provide technical training, including a robotics lab, ensuring that employees have the necessary skills for the advanced technology integrated into the plant.

 “The grand opening of Tyson Foods’ cutting-edge facility marks a significant leap in Kentucky’s economic development and job creation efforts,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear celebrated.

“This plant embodies our vision for a flourishing Kentucky and symbolizes a new chapter of growth and prosperity in our state, thanks to Tyson Foods’ expansion.”

With this new facility, Tyson Foods aims to not only meet current bacon production demands but also to set the stage for future growth and innovation in the dynamic food industry.

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