Arkansas has an abundance of resources to help food processing companies succeed. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission works directly with food processing companies looking to start-up, expand or relocate. In addition, we assist companies with finding the best incentives so companies are able to make money quickly and efficiently.
There were 522 food and beverage companies in Arkansas at the end of 2022. These companies employed 55,130 people. Arkansas is home to Tyson Foods and numerous other food processing facilities, including Nestle, JBS USA, Kraft Heinz, Mars Inc., Cargill Inc., Hormel Foods Corp, Riceland Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, ConAgra Brands Inc., Land O’ Frost and Frito-Lay, Inc.
Arkansas has the 5th largest percentage of food processing workers in the United States. The growth rate of the food and beverage industry from 2017 to 2022 was 6 percent in Arkansas.
The food processing industry is booming in Arkansas and continues to grow exponentially. Eight of the top 10 food and beverage companies by revenue in the world have manufacturing facilities in the state.
Arkansas is meeting the workforce needs for food processing companies. The state now has the second-largest number of food processing workers in the US and Arkansas has responded to industry growth by modernizing the workforce.
Springdale-based Tyson Foods was king of United States broiler production in 2019. The company produced an average of 200.47 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken each week.
Homegrown in Arkansas, Tyson Foods has evolved into a modern, protein-focused food company that produces one in five pounds of chicken, beef, and pork in the United States. The company encompasses several household brand names, including:
Tyson Foods wasn’t the only Arkansas company to make the list. George’s Inc., another Springdale-based processing company, ranked number nine with an average of 29.5 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken produced each week.
Founded in the 1920s, George’s has grown into a major, fully integrated poultry operation. George’s is growing in five states, with four of the company’s eight operations located in Arkansas.
