Peco Foods, the nation’s eighth largest poultry producer, is opening new operations in West Point, Mississippi. According to an announcement by Peco CEO Mark Hickman, the company is investing $40 million in the project that will create 300 new jobs in the Golden Triangle over the next four years.
Peco is acquiring the 185,000 square-foot warehouse formerly occupied by AmeriCold and strategically located on 37 acres near interstate and major rail corridors. The West Point location will provide freezer, cooler and storage space to enable the company to serve its large and diverse customer base.
One of the top poultry companies in North America, Peco supplies a broad range of products and services to national restaurant chains, regional food service distributors and retail grocers as well as international accounts. Headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Peco has more than 6,000 total employees and is responsible for more than 3,600 jobs in the state of Mississippi.
“The addition of the West Point facility to the Peco Foods’ portfolio and the creation of so many new jobs for the people of the Golden Triangle Region demonstrate how existing companies in our state benefit from our productive workforce and prime location in the fastest growing region of the U.S.,” Gov. Phil Bryant said.
In making the announcement, Mark Hickman said: “We are extremely pleased to join the dynamic and growing industrial environment in the Golden Triangle. We want to thank the Mississippi Development Authority and everyone on the GTR LINK team for helping bring this exciting project to completion. They are one of the premier regional development leaders in the South, and it has been a privilege to work with them throughout the process.”
Hickman said Peco is making significant strategic investments to ensure the company’s ability to meet and surpass the expectations of the industry and its global customer base. In remarks today during the announcement with Gov. Bryant, Hickman said “The addition of this new cold storage facility is a key component of our growth strategy and is perfectly tailored to meet our current needs as well as future plans.”
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is providing assistance for wastewater and infrastructure improvements. Mississippi Works funds are also being made available for workforce training. The city of West Point is providing a water and sewer rate reduction to the company.
“MDA appreciates the Peco Foods team for bringing new life – and hundreds of new jobs – to an existing facility in West Point,” said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough, Jr. “We are proud to partner with the Golden Triangle Development LINK, the city of West Point and Clay County in support of Peco Foods’ continued growth in Mississippi.”
