Meat+Poultry - March 2018 - 12

BUSINESS NOTES

BURGERS' SMOKEHOUSE
EXPANSION UNDERWAY
California, Missouri-based Burgers'
Smokehouse will add 70,000 sq.
ft. to its facilities this year. The
processing company that specializes
in country ham is currently moving
into a 40,000-sq.-ft. expansion of its
California plant and recently signed a
lease to occupy an additional 30,000
sq. ft. in Springfield, Missouri. A new
partnership with an unnamed major
customer and the consolidation of the
industry prompted the expansions,
according to Steven Burger, president.
Burgers' will use the new space
primarily for country ham curing and
dry storage and will hire up to 25
additional employees. The facility in
Springfield formerly served as a meat
slicing and packaging plant, "so the
move in was much easier," Burger said.
Burgers' Springfield operations were
expected to be running by March 2018.
The general contractor for the
California addition was St. Louis,
Missouri-based S.M. Wilson.

TYSON FOODS INVESTS
IN MEMPHIS MEATS

12

MEAT+ POULTRY | 03.18 | www.meatpoultry.com

CARGILL TO UPGRADE SC
BEEF PLANT EQUIPMENT
Cargill Protein announced an investment
of $4.2 million at its Columbia, South
Carolina, plant to expand grinding
capabilities for beef customers in the
Eastern United States. The investment
includes precision grinding equipment
that assures consistent, high-quality
ground beef products for customers.
The equipment will expand the plant's
production by 15 percent.
"Cargill purchased the Columbia
facility in 2016 and today we have
more than 200 Columbia employees
delivering high-quality beef to our
US customers," said John Keating,
president of business operations and
supply chain with Cargill Protein. "This
investment shows our commitment to
the beef industry in the Eastern US and
allows us to deliver on the increasing
needs of beef customers in the region,
through the installation of higher
performance production technologies."

NIMAN RANCH ANNOUNCES
NO-SUGAR LINE
Niman Ranch has announced a new
line of no-sugar products. The line
comes in response to consumer
demand and includes eight products in
the categories of bacon, pork chops, a
pork roast and sausages.
"With no-sugar bacon growing at
a faster rate than traditional bacon,
Niman Ranch's best-selling and
award-winning product was in high
demand. Our no-sugar Applewood
Smoked Bacon went through many
rounds of taste tests until we felt
confident it could go toe to toe with
our traditional bacon," Drew Calvert,
vice president of marketing and new
products for Niman Ranch, said in a
statement. "We are pleased with the
end result and are happy to introduce
the renowned bacon and other
products to our consumers."

For more news,
visit MEATPOULTRY.com

Memphis Meats

Tyson Foods Inc. extended its reach
in the alternative protein space with
an investment in Memphis Meats, a
leading producer of meat grown from
animal cells. It
announced a
minority stake in
Memphis Meats,
but details of
the terms were
not disclosed.
Tyson joins DFJ,
Atomico, Cargill,
Bill Gates and
Richard Branson
Uma Valeti
as investors in
the company.
"We're excited about this
opportunity to broaden our exposure
to innovative, new ways of producing
meat, especially since global protein
demand has been increasing at a

steady rate," said Justin Whitmore,
executive vice president, corporate
strategy and chief sustainability officer
of Tyson Foods. "We continue to invest
significantly in our traditional meat
business, but also believe in exploring
additional opportunities for growth that
give consumers more choices."
In October 2017, Tyson acquired
a 5 percent stake in El Segundo,
California-based Beyond Meat, which
manufactures plant-based meat
substitutes that have the taste and
texture of animal protein.
In a statement, Tyson President and
CEO Tom Hayes explained the company
has evolved beyond poultry processing.
He said "...in truth, we're about chicken
and so much more. We're about sausage
and pepperoni. Scrambled eggs and
convenience snacks. Deli turkey and
beef jerky. And now, through our
venture capital fund, cultured meats and
plant-based proteins."
Investments in cultured meat
and plant protein companies provide
Tyson Foods with innovative solutions
aimed at providing a growing global
population the protein they demand.
"This isn't an 'either-or' scenario; it's
a 'yes-and' scenario.
"If you think about it, a protein
strategy inclusive of alternative forms
is intuitive for Tyson Foods," Hayes
continued. "It's another step toward
giving today's consumers what they
want and feeding tomorrow's consumers
sustainably for years to come."
Memphis Meats expects to put
the investment toward accelerating
product development.
"We are excited that Tyson Foods
will be joining us in our mission to
bring meat to the table in a sustainable,
affordable and delicious way," said
Uma Valeti, MD, co-founder and CEO of
Memphis Meats. "Our vision is for the
world to eat what it loves, in a way that
addresses today's challenges for the
environment, animal welfare and public
health. We are accelerating our work
and building out a world-class team to
make this a reality."
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Meat+Poultry - March 2018

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