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The United States is the world's largest exporter of turkey and related products. Nearly 361,884 metric tons (MT) of turkey meat have been exported in 2012. In comparison with 2011, the industry had experienced 14% growth. In 2013, the turkey products were valued at nearly $678.9 million, a 13% increase from 2012.
The dominant market for U.S. turkey meat is Mexico. It has been purchasing meat valued at nearly $372.6 million and accounting for 55% of turkey exports. The second-largest market for U.S. turkey, purchasing more than $70.5 million of meat, is China. Canada and Hong Kong were other significant markets for U.S. turkey meat. (FAS 2012)
The United States imports a notably small percentage of turkey meat ($31.8 million in 2012), mostly from Chile and Canada. (FAS 2012) [1]
This is a list of turkey meat producing companies in the United States:
Butterball is a brand of turkey and other poultry products produced by Butterball LLC. The company manufactures food products in the United States and internationally — specializing in turkey, cured deli meats, raw roasts, and specialty products such as soups and salads, sandwiches, and entrées.
Butterball LLC was a joint venture of Smithfield Foods and Maxwell Farms Inc., [2] an affiliate of the Goldsboro Milling Co. [3] Seaboard Corporation bought Smithfield's stake in Butterball in 2010. The company sells over one billion pounds of turkey a year.[ citation needed ] Though the Butterball brand has been formally recognized since 1940, Butterball LLC was formed in 2006.
The company, located southeast of Raleigh, North Carolina, in Mount Olive, North Carolina, on the Wayne and Duplin County line, subsequently renamed itself Butterball LLC. [4]
In Canada, the rights to Butterball are owned by Exceldor Foods.
Foster Farms is an American poultry company. The company has been privately owned and operated by the Foster family since 1939. The company is based in Livingston, California, with operations throughout the West Coast and a few on the East Coast. The company specializes in a variety of chicken and turkey products advertised as fresh and naturally locally grown. [5] Today, Max and Verda's grandson, Ron Foster, is the company's CEO. He worked with his grandfather for 23 years and now oversees Foster Farms' more than 10,000 employees. [6]
Jennie-O Turkey Store is a brand name of turkey products. It is now a subsidiary of the Hormel Foods Corporation in Willmar, Minnesota. [7]
The company was founded by Earl B. Olson in 1940, when he began raising turkeys. In 1949, he bought the former Farmers Produce Company of Willmar and its turkey-processing plant. [8] In 1953, it was renamed to Jennie-O after his daughter, Jennifer Olson.
Jennie-O has a total of six company locations, five of which are in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin. [9] The Minnesota locations include Willmar/Spicer, Faribault, Montevideo, Pelican Rapids, and Melrose. The only Wisconsin plant is found in Barron.
The Oscar Mayer Company is an American meat and cold cut production company, owned by Kraft Foods. They entered the turkey business by purchasing Louis Rich and Co. in the early 1980s.
Norbest is a federated marketing cooperative dealing exclusively with turkeys and value-added turkey products. It is the oldest cooperative organization of its type in the world, and is one of the top turkey-marketing firms in the United States. Norbest products are sold throughout the United States and Pacific Rim countries, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Membership in the Norbest cooperative has changed a few times over the 69 years of its existence, as local farmer co-ops have merged, dissolved, or changed focus. Today, the members of the Norbest, Inc. cooperative are Moroni Feed Company in central Utah. [10]
Perdue Farms is the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness, based in Salisbury, Maryland. Perdue Foods is a major chicken-, turkey-, and pork-processing company in the United States. Perdue AgriBusiness ranks among the top United States grain companies. Perdue Farms has annual sales in excess of $6 billion. [11] The company was founded in 1920 by Arthur Perdue [12] with his wife, Pearl Perdue, who had been keeping a small flock of chickens. [13]
Now, it is leading poultry producer in the northeast United States and the second-largest across the nation, and Perdue Farms Inc. sells chicken and turkey products through retail venues and to foodservice companies in the United States and in more than 30 countries worldwide. [14]
James A. Perdue has been the chairman of Perdue Farms since 1991 and serves as its CEO. [15]
West Liberty Foods, LLC is an American meat-processing company owned by the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative and formed in 1996 [16] by a group of Iowa turkey growers, [17] and now owns four meat processing plants. [18] The company mainly produces products for customers to sell under their own brand names. [17] As of 2006, West liberty Foods was the 12th-largest turkey company in the United States. [19]
Zacky Farms LLC is an American food-production company in California. It was incorporated in 1955 by Sam Zacky's family and developed by his three sons—Harry, Al, and Bob—from retail to wholesale. Its primary factory is located in Central California.
Liveweight Processed (Million Pounds)* [20]
| Butterball, LLC | 1,365.0 |
| Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. | 1,175.0 |
| Cargill Turkey & Cooked Meats | 1,000.0 |
| Farbest Foods, Inc. | 582.0 |
| Tyson Foods | 318.0 |
| Perdue Farms | 284.0 |
| Kraft Heinz Company | 267.0 |
| Virginia Poultry Growers Coop. | 267.0 |
| Foster Farms | 231.7 |
| West Liberty Foods, LLC | 216.58 |
| Cooper Farms | 215.0 |
| Michigan Turkey Producers | 202.0 |
| Dakota Provisions | 185.0 |
| Hain Pure Protein | 170.0 |
| Prestage Farms | 147.0 |
| Turkey Valley Farms | 142.6 |
| Norbest, Inc. (Moroni Feed Co.) | 106.0 |
| Zackey Farms, LLC | 68.3 |
| Northern Pride Turkey | 44.0 |
| White Water Processing Co. | 30.0 |
| Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. | 25.2 |
| Koch's Turkey Farm | 18.15 |
| Jaindl Turkey Sales, Inc. | 11.0 |