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Articles by Ryan Mccarthy
Perdue Farms discusses animal care, sustainability at summit
SALISBURY, MD. — Perdue Farms recently held its 11th Annual Animal Care and Sustainability Summit, which brought together 100 farmers, retail and foodservice customers, animal welfare advocates, scientists, sustainability leaders, and other food and agriculture stakeholders. The company added it was the first time it brought together the two topics into one program.
Holly Poultry opens production plant
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD. — Further poultry processor Holly Poultry opened a new 80,000-square-foot production facility in Anne Arundel County, Md. The move will expand the company’s retail production capacity to support existing customers, expand its distribution and grow its Easy Street and One Fine Chicken brands.
Skylark Meats to shutter Nebraska plant
OMAHA, NEB. — American Foods Group (AFG) said it will close its 215,000-square-foot Skylark Meats facility in Omaha on Aug. 25. The facility employs 218 people. “This was a difficult decision, and we do not take it lightly,” said David Jagodzinske, president and chief operating officer for AFG. “Our first priority is our Skylark team members, their families, and the community. We are committed to supporting each employee through this transition. Between now and Aug.
Yum! Brands set to sell Pizza Hut business
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Yum! Brands Inc. announced on June 16 it will sell Pizza Hut and split it into two entities for $2.7 billion. The quick-service restaurant group confirmed that LongRange Capital would acquire Pizza Hut for $1.5 billion, excluding the mainland China business. Pizza Hut China would be sold to Yum China Holdings Inc., for around $1.2 billion.
JBS to shutter beef facility in Pennsylvania
GREELEY, COLO. — JBS USA said it will close its beef production facility in Souderton, Pa., and its Empire Packing plant, a value-added operation in Memphis, Tenn. “These decisions are never easy because they directly affect our team members and the communities where we operate,” said Wesley Batista Filho, chief executive officer of JBS USA. “We are deeply grateful to the team members at these facilities for their efforts and contributions over many years.
McDonald’s outlines new strategic course
CHICAGO — McDonald’s Corp. recently confirmed it would be launching a new corporate strategy called McDonald’s Next to update its system for franchisees and customers. The quick-service restaurant chain sent out a message to the McDonald’s system addressing the upcoming steps in menu innovation and in-store technology in its latest phase. “The competitive landscape is changing and with it, customers’ expectations,” Chris Kempczinski wrote in a memo.
Weaver Meats expands in Ohio
PAINESVILLE, OHIO — Family-owned meat processor Weaver Meats recently confirmed it finished an 18,500-square-foot expansion of its plant in Painesville. The business, which now has more than 40,000 square feet of production space, is working to find additional co-packing and private label manufacturing of meat snacks, including jerky and snack sticks. Weaver Meats began in 1981, with brothers Mike and Dave Weaver operating a butcher shop under the same format for 15 years.
Consumers recalibrating meat purchasing patterns
KANSAS CITY — During the Power of Meat presentation at the 2026 Annual Meat Conference, recalibration was a fitting adjective used to describe the purchasing behavior of today’s retail meat customers. Among the nearly 1,700 consumers surveyed for the report, many referenced how inflation has made it a challenge to put meat and poultry on their family’s plates.
Wayne-Sanderson Farms elevates two to executive posts
OAKWOOD, GA. — Wayne-Sanderson Farms, the third-largest poultry producer in the United States, has promoted Aaron Leach to chief commercial and supply chain officer for the company and Michael Crump to chief operations officer. Both executives will continue to report to Kevin McDaniel, president and chief executive officer for Wayne-Sanderson.
Triumph Foods expanding in Missouri
ST. JOSEPH, MO. — The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and Triumph Foods LLC confirmed a new $30 million expansion of the existing pork processing plant in Missouri. The move will expand the company’s current cold storage and shipping capacity, helping support increased production. The expansion by Triumph also will include the installation of new equipment, machinery and personal property related to the project.
Hormel to sell whole-bird turkey business
AUSTIN, MINN. — Hormel Foods Corp. has agreed to sell its whole-bird turkey business to Life-Science Innovations (LSI), a move Hormel’s top executive said will reduce the company’s exposure “to more volatile, commodity-driven businesses.” Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Smithfield to shutter sausage plant
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — Smithfield Foods Inc. recently confirmed it will be closing its dry sausage facility in Springfield, Mass., with operations expected to conclude in August. A Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice from the MassHire Department of Career Services said 190 employees will be laid off between April 10 and Sept. 11, 2026.
Western Smokehouse buys Junior’s Smokehouse
GALESBURG, ILL. — Meat snack company Western Smokehouse Partners has unveiled plans to acquire Junior’s Smokehouse, which is known for its hand-crafted jerky and meat products. The El Campo, Texas-based company has more than 40 years of producing premium-quality craft meats, smokehouse heritage and a strong workforce.
Cargill confirms investment in beef operations in Colorado
BOSTON — In the wake of recent news about Tyson Foods closing one beef plant and reducing capacity at another, Cargill confirmed the completion of a renovation at its beef processing facility in Colorado. “We feel confident we have the right footprint to support the market today and for the future and will continue operating our primary North America beef processing plants,” a Cargill spokesperson said.
Chomps to build new meat snacks plant
CHICAGO — Meat snacks maker Chomps plans to expand its manufacturing capabilities by establishing a new facility in Beatrice, Neb. The building, developed in collaboration with co-manufacturer Landmark Snacks, positions Chomps to boost annual production capacity by 15% across the Chomps business. The 160,000-square-foot site is expected to open in the second quarter of 2027 and would be the company’s second dedicated manufacturing facility.
Ryan McCarthy
The company will have products with the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles.
Jones Retaining McCarthy Shows He is Unserious About Winning
On Wednesday evening, the Dallas Cowboys (read: Jerry Jones) released a statement regarding the future of head coach Mike McCarthy.
Observations From a Not-So NFL Super Wild Card Weekend
Many a football fan expected NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend to be great and there are plenty of observations to be had. The initial impression from looking at the games on the docket was they would be competitive.
NHL Contenders, Pretenders, & Teams On the Fence
As the 2023-24 NHL season turns the corner heading into January, one of three things usually happens as we separate the contenders, pretenders, and teams on the fence. Either: Teams figure out their identity and they plow forward towards a playoff spot; General managers scramble to find the missing pieces to make a run, or; Teams start to book their flights and hotel rooms for Las Vegas in time for late June’s draft.
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