Wayne Farms LLC, a subsidiary of ContiGroup Companies Inc. (formerly Continental Grain Company), has announced a $17 million expansion to the Laurel, MS plant. The expansion, extending over 116,000 square ft., will commence in late January with a projected completion date of May 2020.
According to Craig Ballentine, Complex Manager, the updated plant will include a high level of automation, including first processing followed by cutting, deboning, portioning, and packaging. Decisions on suppliers and equipment will be concluded in mid-January.
The expansion is intended to meet demand for the Ladybird ® range sourced from female broilers.
The expansion will create 200 new jobs, including 11 salaried supervisory positions.