Tyson Foods is pivoting its attention to its Forest, Mississippi, plant. Recently, the protein provider completed a $90 million expansion as part of the company’s commitment to meet the increasing demand for protein and deliver on its strategy of accelerating long-term growth.
“We’re excited about the expansion project at Forest and our continued efforts to increase our automation footprint,” said David Bray, Group President of Poultry. “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.”
This facility expansion will create 320 jobs, representing one of the largest capital investments in Scott County. Tyson’s latest expansion project is part of three substantial investments in the state of Mississippi since 2021, representing more than $160 million and supporting more than 3,400 team members.
The Forest facility processes fresh chicken products for foodservice and retail customers. According to the release, this expansion adds automation technology to parts of the facility’s chicken processing line, which will add new production capacity for its foodservice customers. The automation process tackles the more labor-intensive aspects while improving product yield and competitive pricing.
Additionally, the introduction of this innovative technology is balanced with the creation of new jobs to execute the new product mix. Tyson’s Forest facility employs approximately 1250 team members and paid more than $39 million in wages during its 2021 fiscal year. The facility has a local economic impact of $58 million annually.
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