Work continues on a future Peco Foods poultry complex in northeastern Arkansas, although the progress with the construction has been delayed because of inclement weather.
According to a report from THV11, the poultry complex had previously been scheduled to open in January 2016, but because of weather-related delays, the company is now looking at beginning operations at the complex in February or March.
The Peco Foods poultry complex, when completed, will include a 272,000 square foot chicken processing plant, a hatchery, a feed mill and other supporting structures. When fully operational, the new Peco Foods complex will employ as many as 1,000 people. Situated on a 200-acre site near the community of Pocahontas, the poultry facility will have the capacity to process 1.3 million chickens per week.
Peco Foods, which according to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database is the ninth largest poultry company in the United States, announced its intent to build the new poultry complex in Arkansas in March 2014. Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe and other dignitaries were present for the announcement.
Peco Foods has had a presence in Arkansas since 2011, when the company acquired the Townsends poultry complex in Batesville. In addition to the Batesville facility, Peco operates a feed mill in Newark, Arkansas.
