Cargill will expand its meat crumbles range and add a dried sausage wing to the factory, doubling the current workforce at the site, based in Tennessee’s capital city.
Expansion will cost a total of $146m, said Cargill Protein, the North American division of Cargill, one of the biggest privately-owned companies in the US.
“Our customers asked for new value-added cooked meat capabilities and we are thrilled to be able to respond by investing in this expansion at our facility,” said Monte Metz, plant general manager.
“Nashville is strategically located to serve our customers in a way that helps them improve their supply chain.”
Cargil’s two-year recruitment drive
Sausage production at the facility is expected to start during the first half of 2019.
Expansion in Nashville comes after Cargill has already pumped close to $850m into growing its US-based meat empire, creating hundreds of jobs nationwide.
“We are thrilled that Cargill is increasing its investment in Nashville and creating 100 new jobs at this state-of-the-art facility,” said Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development commissioner Bob Rolfe.
“This expansion is a testament to the dedication of the plant’s employees and the hard work they put in each and every day.”
Some of Cargill’s most eye-catching investments include plans to build a huge 190,000sq ft headquarters for its protein division in Wichita, Kansas.
Earlier this year, in September, the business posted a 14% year-on-year rise in quarterly earnings, with strong demand for beef and poultry in the US powering its performance.
Brian Sikes, Cargill group president North American protein, added: “Our growth is a tribute to the 28,000 people on our team. They are passionate about helping our customers succeed by meeting consumer demands.
“We’re pleased to support investments like the Nashville expansion that help our customers grow and the communities where we operate prosper.”