WATT PoultryUSA turkey rankings are based on annual slaughter volume pounds in the U.S. Data is from an exclusive survey of turkey companies, published sources and industry estimates.
1>Butterball, LLC Garner, North Carolina
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2010 Slaughter Volume
1.30 Bil. Live Lbs. DOWN 2.3%
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2011 Projected Volume
1.30 Bil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 5,500
Slaughter plants 4
Processing plants 7
Cooking facilities 5
Hatcheries 3
Feed mills 3
Grow-out farms 500
Butterball, LLC slaughtered 1.3 billion live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 2.3% decrease from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 1.3 billion live pounds in 2011, according to Keith Shoemaker, president and CEO.
Butterball LLC is owned by Maxwell Farms LLC and Seaboard Corporation. The two companies partnered in a buyout of shares from minority owner Murphy-Brown LLC in December, 2010. Prior to that, Maxwell Farms and Murphy-Brown were partners in Butterball LLC.
Sales and marketing: Butterball’s sales break out 60% retail, 30% foodservice and 10% export. Product forms are 65% fresh and 35% frozen; 25% whole birds; and 50% cooked. Butterball’s 2,337 turkey products are marketed under the Butterball, Carolina Turkeys and Just Perfect brands.
2>Jennie-O Turkey Store Willmar, Minnesota
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2010 Slaughter Volume
1.286 Bil. Live Lbs. UP 1.3%
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2011 Projected Volume
1.29 Bil. Live Lbs.
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Slaughter plants 4
Processing plants 4
Cooking facilities 4
Jennie-O Turkey Store slaughtered 1.286 billion live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 1.3% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 1.29 billion live pounds in 2011, according to Robert Tegt, president.
Jennie-O Turkey Store is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods.
3>Cargill Value Added Meats Wichita, Kansas
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2010 Slaughter Volume
1.10 Bil. Live Lbs. DOWN 6.0%
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2011 Projected Volume
1.10 Bil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 6,300
Slaughter plants 4
Processing plants 4
Cooking facilities 4
Distribution centers 2
Rendering plant 1
Hatcheries 3
Feed mills 5
Breeder farms 50+
Grow-out farms 600
Cargill Value Added Meats slaughtered 34.5 million turkey hens and 14 million toms at a total weight of 1.095 billion live pounds in 2010, a 6% decrease from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 1.095 billion live pounds in 2011, according to Steve Willardsen, president.
Sales and marketing: Products are marketed under the Honeysuckle White, Shady Brook Farms, Riverside, Marval, Willow Brook and Schweigert brands.
Cargill, the parent company of Cargill Value Added Meats, is an international marketer, processor and distributor of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products and services.
4>Farbest Foods, Inc. Huntingburg, Indiana
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2010 Slaughter Volume
374.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 12.3%
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2011 Projected Volume
360.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $280 million
Employees 850
Slaughter/processing plant 1
Distribution center 1
Feed mill (450 million metric tons annually) 1
Grow-out farms 160
Farbest Foods, Inc. slaughtered 9.36 million toms at a total weight of 374 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 12.3% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 360 million live pounds in 2011, according to Ted J. Seger, president.
Sales and marketing: Product forms are 80% fresh and 20% frozen; and 100% uncooked parts.
Capital improvements: Farbest Foods upgraded a waste water treatment plant in 2010 at a cost of $5.3 million and constructed a maintenance shop and parts storage facility at a cost of $1.4 million. Improvements planned for 2011 include construction of a brooder hub facility at a cost of $1.5 million; renovation of processing offal areas at $1.5 million; and air conditioning of the evisceration room at $1.0 million.
5>Sara Lee Storm Lake, Iowa
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2010 Slaughter Volume
330.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 50.0%
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2011 Projected Volume
370.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Cooking facility 1
Sara Lee slaughtered 330 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 50% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 370 million live pounds in 2011. Marcel H. M. Smits, executive v-p, CFO, has been named interim CEO.
6>Kraft Foods, Inc. Madison, Wisconsin
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2010 Slaughter Volume
290.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 0.3%
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2011 Projected Volume
280.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 100,000
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Cooking facility 1
Kraft Foods, Inc./Oscar Mayer slaughtered 7.4 million toms at a total weight of 290 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 0.3% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 280 million live pounds in 2011, according to Nick Meriggioli, president Oscar Mayer.
Kraft operates one slaughter, deboning and cooking plant in Newberry, S.C.
Sales and marketing: Kraft purchases its birds from outside suppliers and processes only heavy toms. The company’s turkey products are marketed under the Oscar Mayer and Lunchables brands.
7>Perdue Farms, Inc. Salisbury, Maryland
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2010 Slaughter Volume
271.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 1.5%
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2011 Projected Volume
271.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $314 million
Employees 20,412
Slaughter plant 1
Cooking facilities 2
Hatchery (242,000 eggs wkly) 1
Feed mill (7,400 metric tons wkly) 1
Breeder farm 1
Grow-out farms 145
Perdue Farms slaughtered 4.196 million turkey hens and 4.248 million toms at a total weight of 271 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 1.5% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 271 million live pounds in 2011.
Sales and marketing: Perdue’s turkey sales break out 50% foodservice, 47% retail and 3% export. Product forms are 71% fresh and 29% frozen. The company’s turkey products are marketed under the Perdue and Shenandoah brands.
8>Foster Farms Livingston, California
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2010 Slaughter Volume
256.6 Mil. Live Lbs.
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2011 Projected Volume
279.5 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $306 million
Employees 12,065
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Cooking facility (1.6 million lbs) 1
Distribution centers 2
Rendering plant 1
Hatcheries (10 million poults annually) 2
Feed mills (7,000 metric tons wkly) 2
Breeder farms 5
Grow-out farms 59
Foster Farms slaughtered 4.12 million turkey hens and 4.025 million toms at a total weight of 256.6 million live pounds of turkey in 2010. The company projects it will slaughter 279.5 million live pounds in 2011, according to Ron Foster, CEO and president.
Sales and marketing: Foster Farms turkey sales break out 55% retail, 41% foodservice and 4% export. Product forms are 66% fresh and 34% frozen; 13% whole birds; 37% uncooked parts; and 50% cooked. The company’s 537 turkey products are marketed under the Foster Farms and Valchris brands.
9>House of Raeford Farms, Inc. Raeford, North Carolina
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2010 Slaughter Volume
247.5 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 3.3%
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2011 Projected Volume
259.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 1,450
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plants 2
Cooking facilities (100 million lbs annually) 2
Distribution center 1
Hatchery (9.5 million poults annually) 1
Feed mill (300,000 metric tons annually) 1
House of Raeford slaughtered 4.5 million turkey hens and 4.3 million toms at a total weight of 247.5 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 3.3% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 259 million live pounds in 2011, according to Bob Johnson, CEO.
Sales and marketing: Sales break out 64.5% foodservice, 10.45% export, 10.4% retail and 14.65% unclassified. Product forms are 30% fresh and 70% frozen; 21.7% whole birds; 34.28% uncooked parts; and 44.02% cooked. The company’s 1,200 turkey products are marketed under the House of Raeford, Lakewood and Plantation brands.
10>Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative, Inc. (VPGC)
Hinton, Virginia
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2010 Slaughter Volume
224.0 Mil. Live Lbs. DOWN 0.9%
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2011 Projected Volume
245.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 550
Slaughter plant 1
Feed mill 1
Grow-out farms 156
Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative, Inc. (VPGC) slaughtered 224 million live pounds of turkey in 2010. The cooperative projects it will slaughter 245 million live pounds in 2011, according to James L. (Jim) Mason, president and general manager.
All of the birds processed are deboned, including all hens processed, to generate meat used by other further processors. The cooperative has some antibiotic-free production and also raises some organic turkeys.
11>Dakota Provisions
Huron, South Dakota
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2010 Slaughter Volume
200.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 2.6%
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2011 Projected Volume
205.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $225 million
Employees 715
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Cooking facility (60 million lbs annually) 1
Distribution center 1
Rendering plant 1
Grow-out farms 44
Dakota Provisions slaughtered 4.8 million toms at a total weight of 200 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 2.6% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 205 million live pounds in 2011, according to Ken Rutledge, president and CEO.
Sales and marketing: Sales break out 15% export, 14% retail and 6% foodservice. Product forms are 55% fresh and 25% frozen; and 20% cooked. The company’s 50 turkey products are marketed under five different brands.
Capital improvements: Dakota Provisions constructed a warehouse at a cost of $500,000 warehouse and invested $2,800,000 in equipment in 2010. Capital investments planned for 2011 include $3.0 million for a by-Products plant (joint venture); $2.0 million for production equipment; $1.0 million for building improvements; and $1.3 million for info systems.
12>Cooper Farms Oakwood, Ohio
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2010 Slaughter Volume
195.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 4.8%
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2011 Projected Volume
205.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $350 million
Employees 1,410
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plants 2
Cooking facility (60 million lbs annually) 1
Hatcheries (14.5 million poults annually) 2
Feed mill (8,500 metric tons wkly) 1
Cooper Farms slaughtered 4.7 million toms at a total weight of 195 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 4.8% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 205 million live pounds in 2011, according to Gary A. Cooper, COO.
The company is a major supplier of poults to the industry and also operates table egg laying and swine farms.
Capital improvements: Cooper Farms in 2010 added a 50,000-square-foot slicing addition to its cooked plant in Van Wert, Ohio, at a cost of $15 million. Improvements planned for 2011 installation of a HPP (High Pressure Pastuerization) system to its slicing operation.
13>Hain Pure Protein Corp. Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania
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2010 Slaughter Volume
182.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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2011 Projected Volume
182.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Slaughter plants 2
Processing plants 2
Cooking facility 1
Hain Pure Protein Corp. slaughtered an estimated 182 million live pounds of turkey in 2010. The company is expected to slaughter 182 million live pounds in 2011.
Plainville Farms LLC is a subsidiary of Hain Pure Protein Corporation, a joint venture of the Hain Celestial Group Inc., and Pegasus Capital Advisors L.P.
Plainville Farms brand turkeys are fed an all-vegetable diet and are raised without antibiotics.
14>Michigan Turkey Producers Grand Rapids, Michigan
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2010 Slaughter Volume
170.0 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 4.3%
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2011 Projected Volume
180.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $164 million
Employees 550
Slaughter plant 1
Cooking facility (40 million lbs annually) 1
Distribution center 1
Grow-out farms 43
Michigan Turkey Producers slaughtered 4.4 million toms at a total weight of 170 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 4.3% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 180 million live pounds in 2011, according to Dan Lennon, president and CEO.
The company is owned by Michigan Turkey Producers Cooperative members and other investors.
Sales and marketing: Michigan Turkey Producers sales break out 75% foodservice, 15% export and 10% retail. Product forms are 70% fresh and 30% frozen; 1% whole birds; 74% uncooked parts; and 25% cooked. The company’s 250 turkey products are marketed under the Golden Legacy brand.
Capital improvements: Michigan Turkey Producers added new ovens in 2010 to increase cook capacity to 40,000,000 pounds a year.
15>West Liberty Foods, L.L.C. West Liberty, Iowa
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2010 Slaughter Volume
164.5 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 32.4%
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2011 Projected Volume
220.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $610 million
Employees 1,850
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plants 3
Cooking facilities (340 million lbs annually) 3
Grow-out farms 80
West Liberty Foods, L.L.C. slaughtered 4.1 million toms at a total weight of 164.5 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 32.4% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 220 million live pounds in 2011, according to Ed Garrett, president and CEO.
West Liberty Foods is owned by members of the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative.
Sales and marketing: Sales break out 84.77% foodservice, 15.06% retail and 0.17% export. Product forms are 73.81% fresh and 26.19% frozen; 12.55% uncooked parts; and 87.45% cooked. West Liberty Foods specializes in slicing and co-packing cooked red meat and poultry products.
16>Turkey Valley Farms Marshall, Minnesota
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2010 Slaughter Volume
132.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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2011 Projected Volume
150.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales estimated $90 million
Employees 365
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Turkey Valley Farms slaughtered 132 million live pounds of turkey in 2010. The company projects it will slaughter 150.0 million live pounds in 2011, according to Dick Peterson, president.
Turkey Valley Farms operates a 110,000-square-foot plant and processes whole birds, bone-in-breast, fresh and frozen turkey, tray-pack products and deboned breasts and thighs.
Sales and marketing: Turkey Valley Farms sales break out 20% retail, 20% foodservice and 10% export. Product forms are 50% fresh and 50% frozen; 50% whole birds; and 50% uncooked parts. Products are packaged in private or packer label. The company also produces Halal products. The company’s 50 turkey products are marketed under the Turkey Valley Farms, Holden Farms, Country Day, Midwest Best, Country Buy, Super Turk and Valley Farms Halal brands.
17>Zacky Farms, LLC Fresno, California
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2010 Slaughter Volume
131.3 Mil. Live Lbs.
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2011 Projected Volume
132.4 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 900
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Cooking facility (38 million lbs annually) 1
Distribution center 1
Hatchery (6.5 million poults annually) 1
Feed mill (149,000 metric tons) 1
Breeder farms 10
Grow-out farms 22
Zacky Farms slaughtered 2.631 million turkey hens and 3.705 million toms at a total weight of 131.3 million live pounds of turkey in 2010. The company projects it will slaughter 132.4 million live pounds in 2011, according to Scott Zacky, managing member of LLC.
Sales and marketing: Zacky Farms sales break out 81% retail, 14% export and 10% foodservice. Product forms are 55% fresh and 45% frozen; 43% whole birds; 26% uncooked parts; and 32% cooked. The company’s 500 turkey products are marketed under the Zacky Farms Natural, Tender Gold, Westerner, Californian, Sam’s Ranch, Zacky Farms AFB and Zacky Farms Free Range brands.
18>Prestage Foods St. Paul's, North Carolina
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2010 Slaughter Volume
131.0 Mil. Live Lbs. DOWN 34.7%
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2011 Projected Volume
140.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales $120 million
Employees 300
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Hatchery (16.9 million poults annually) 1
Feed mills (962,000 metric tons including swine) 4
Breeder farms (8 plus 2 other contracted) 10
Grow-out farms 250
Prestage Foods slaughtered 5.5 million turkey hens and 0.730 million toms at a total weight of 131 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 34.7% decrease from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 140 million live pounds in 2011, according to Kevin Kniefel, CEO.
Prestage Foods is a subsidiary of Prestage Farms, which also raises hogs and turkeys for other processors in grow-out operations in several states.
Sales and marketing: Prestage Foods sales break out 60% retail, 25% foodservice and 15% export. Product forms are 30% fresh and 70% frozen; 40% whole birds; and 60% uncooked parts. Production is packed as boneless meat, bone-in-breasts, parts and whole birds. The company’s turkey products are marketed under the Prestage Foods, private label.
19>Norbest, Inc. (Moroni Feed Co.) Moroni, Utah
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2010 Slaughter Volume
102.8 Mil. Live Lbs. UP 54.6%
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2011 Projected Volume
102.8 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Sales estimated $90 million
Employees 468
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plants 2
Cooking facilities (8 million lbs) 2
Rendering plant 1
Feed mill (120,000 metric tons) 1
Grow-out farms 47
Norbest, Inc., is comprised of two cooperatives, Nebraska Turkey Growers Cooperative and Moroni Feed Company. Norbest slaughtered 102.8 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 54.6% increase from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 102.8 million live pounds in 2011, according to Kent Barton, CEO.
Sales and marketing: Sales break out 45% foodservice, 38% retail, and 6% export. Product forms are 9% fresh and 91% frozen; 65% whole birds; 30% uncooked parts; and 5% cooked. The company’s 200 turkey products are marketed under the Norbest brand.
20>Northern Pride Turkey
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
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2010 Slaughter Volume
40.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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2011 Projected Volume
40.0 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 200
Slaughter plant 1
Grow-out farms 25
Northern Pride Turkey slaughtered 40 million live pounds of turkey in 2010. The company projects it will slaughter 40 million live pounds in 2011, according to Russ Christianson, general manager.
Sales and marketing: Northern Pride Turkey sales break out 90% retail and 10% export. Product forms are 15% fresh and 85% frozen; 88% whole birds; and 12% uncooked parts.
21>White Water Processing Co. Harrison, Ohio
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2010 Slaughter Volume
30.3 Mil. Live Lbs. DOWN 15.6%
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2011 Projected Volume
30.3 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 110
Slaughter/processing plant 1
White Water Processing Co. slaughtered 1.0 million turkey hens and 0.112 million toms at a total weight of 30.3 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 15.6% decrease from the previous year. The company projects it will slaughter 30.3 million live pounds in 2011, according to Kelly Kopp, vice president of sales and marketing.
Sales and marketing: Sales break out 5% export and 1% retail. Product forms are 50% fresh and 50% frozen; 5% whole birds; and 95% uncooked parts. The company’s turkey products are marketed under the White Water / Kopps Turkeys brand.
22>Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. Mifflintown, Pennsylvania
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2010 Slaughter Volume
25.2 Mil. Live Lbs. DOWN 7.4%
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2011 Projected Volume
25.2 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 680
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Cooking facility 1
Feed mill (5,040 metric tons wkly) 1
Empire Kosher Poultry slaughtered an estimated 1.3 million turkey hens at a total weight of 25.2 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, a 7.4% decrease from the previous year. The company is expected to slaughter 25.2 million live pounds in 2011.
Sales and marketing: Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc., sales break out 90% retail, 5% foodservice and 5% export. Product forms are 73% fresh and 27% frozen; 23% whole birds; 77% uncooked parts; and 8% cooked. The company’s 70 turkey products are marketed under the Empire and Malchus brands.
23>Jaindl Turkey Sales, Inc. Orefield, Pennsylvania
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2010 Slaughter Volume
10.5 Mil. Live Lbs. DOWN 8.7%
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2011 Projected Volume
10.5 Mil. Live Lbs.
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Employees 80
Slaughter plant 1
Processing plant 1
Rendering plant 1
Hatchery (80,000 poults wkly) 1
Feed mill (1,700 metric tons wkly) 1
Breeder farm 1
Grow-out farms 9
Jaindl Turkey Sales slaughtered an estimated 0.35 million turkey hens and 0.35 million toms at a total weight of 10.5 million live pounds of turkey in 2010, an 8.7% decrease from the previous year. The company is expected to slaughter 10.5 million live pounds in 2011.
Sales and marketing: Product forms are 75% fresh and 25% frozen; 95% whole birds; and 2% cooked. The company’s turkey products are marketed under the Grand Champion, Harvest, Blue Ribbon, and Jaindl Organic brands. The company also sells Grand Champion brand breasts and Jaindl Smoked Turkeys.
