Tyson Foods has completed a $90 million expansion to its processing plant in Forest, Mississippi.
This investment is part of the company’s commitment to meet the increasing demand for protein and deliver on its strategy of accelerating long-term growth. This expansion will create 320 jobs and represent its single largest capital investment in Scott County.
Tyson Foods’ Forest facility processes fresh chicken products for foodservice and retail customers. The expansion adds automation technology to parts of the facility’s chicken processing line, adding new production capacity for its customers. The automation process tackles the more labor-intensive aspects while improving product yield and competitive pricing. The introduction of this technology is balanced with the creation of new jobs to execute the new product mix.
“We’re excited about the expansion project in Forest and our continued efforts to increase our automation footprint,” said David Bray, group president of poultry for Tyson Foods. “This project demonstrates our ability to execute a product mix change that translates into less intensive labor for team members while creating more jobs at a competitive pay structure. It’s a win-win to support the long-term growth of the Forest community and our operations.”
The Forest facility employs approximately 1250 people. The facility has a local economic impact of $58 million annually. This project is part of three substantial investments in the state of Mississippi since 2021, representing more than $160 million and supporting more than 3400 employees. Tyson recently raised total compensation for employees, including raising hourly wages at the facility to at least $15 an hour.
Interested applicants can visit tysonfoods.com/careers to learn more.
Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the world’s largest protein food companies. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under four generations of family leadership, the company has a large portfolio of products and brands, such as Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp and State Fair. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company had 137,000 team members on Oct. 2, 2021.
