Tyson Fresh Meats Announces $27M Expansion to Iowa Facility

Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. announced Thursday (Sept. 29) a $27 million expansion of its case-ready beef and pork plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Tyson Fresh Meats is a wholly owned subsidiary of Springdale-based Tyson Foods Inc., and is one of the largest employers in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area.

The project, according to the company, will include a 55,000-SF addition for new production lines and warehouse space and increase the plant’s capacity to produce fresh ground beef, beef and pork cuts, and meal kits that are ready for distribution to retail grocers.

The expansion is underway and scheduled to be completed in July 2017. It is expected to add 350 jobs, bringing total employment at the plant to more than 1,400.  

“Tyson Fresh Meats’ announcement is great news for the Council Bluffs community,” said Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce. “Tyson Fresh Meats is not only one of the largest employers in the area, it’s a significant contributor to our local economy. We look forward to the jobs that will be created through this expansion.”

Tyson Foods operates three local plants. In addition to the case-ready facility, the company has a pepperoni plant in Council Bluffs and a bacon plant in Omaha, Nebraska. The company employs approximately 2,000 residents in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area.

“This project is great news for our plant, our community and our customers,” said Steve Friedrichsen, complex manager of the Council Bluffs case-ready plant. “We are committed to the Council Bluffs community and look forward adding more jobs with this expansion, while also meeting the growing demand for case-ready products.”

The Council Bluffs case-ready plant generated an annual payroll of $37 million in 2015.

Headquartered in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, Tyson Fresh Meats maintains 17 production sites throughout North America and employs nearly 41,000 team members.