Perdue Farms announced on Tuesday that it has entered into an agreement to sell its chicken processing complex in Dothan, Alabama, to Wayne Farms, as part of its ongoing strategy to focus on branded products and strategic customer relationships. Both companies expect the sale to close December 1.
The sale will include the Dothan processing plant, Dothan hatchery, and a feed mill and grow-out office in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Perdue will continue to operate a hatchery in Samson, Alabama, to support its Perry, Georgia, processing plant. The closing will not affect Perdue’s breeder operations in Florida and Alabama.
Perdue has been concentrating on expanding its premium branded and innovative, value-added products, including all-vegetarian-fed chicken within the Perdue® brand and new lines of prepared products, plus antibiotic-free chicken, turkey, and pork, and most recently, organic chicken, according to the press release.
“While the Dothan plant no longer fits our strategies, I’m pleased Wayne Farms will be able to utilize the plant and especially pleased that they intend to keep all the employees and grower contracts,” said Jim Leighton, president, Perdue Foods. “Wayne Farms is a leader in business-to-business sales and Dothan’s capabilities are a good fit. The pending sale is a win for both companies, the employees, the growers, and the Dothan community.”
