Smithfield and Kansas City Sausage to establish sausage plant in North Carolina

Smithfield Foods and Kansas City Sausage are set to build a $44.8m sausage plant in Sampson County, North Carolina in US, through a 50 / 50 joint venture.

The 90,000ft² plant will produce 50 million pounds of pork sausage annually, and process between 700 and 1,000 sows a day.

Smithfield Foods president and CEO Larry Pope said: "We formed Kansas City Sausage in 2013 as part of our strategy to expand into the $4 billion breakfast and dinner sausage categories.

"This new facility is an essential part of that strategy and also underscores our commitment to broaden our product offerings through a focus on our customers, brands, products and geographic footprint."

The project is expected to support the region with 177 new jobs, the company said.

The facility will be built at the former Martins Abattoir & Wholesale Meats’ site in northwest Sampson County that was purchased by Kansas City Sausage in April 2014.The new Kansas City Sausage operation will have a positive impact on the local economy from the moment we break ground

Kansas City Sausage CEO Justin Hanlon said: ".

"Besides our investment in construction and the new workforce, we will contribute to increased demand for local hog production."

Work on the project is scheduled to be completed by June 2016.

Smithfield Foods offers pork and hog products as well as various packaged meats.

The company’s brands include Smithfield, Eckrich, Farmland, Armour, Cook’s, John Morrell, Gwaltney, Nathan’s Famous, Kretschmar, Margherita, Curly’s, Carando and Healthy Ones.

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Image: The new plant in Sampson County will produce 50 million pounds of pork sausage annually. Photo: courtesy of rakratchada torsap / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.