Tyson Fresh Meats’ Meat Packaging Plant, Utah, US

The case-ready packages produced at Tyson Fresh Meats’ Utah facility will be shipped to food retailers in Utah and nearby states. Image courtesy of The Meat Case.

The proposed facility will produce case-ready packages of fresh meat. Image courtesy of The Meat Case.

The meat will be cut into steaks, roasts, chops, and ground beef to provide consistent consumer-ready products. Image courtesy of The Meat Case.

Tyson Foods’ beef and pork division Tyson Fresh Meats is planning to build a meat packaging plant in Utah, US.

To be constructed with an estimated investment of approximately $300m, the facility is expected to begin producing the company’s case-ready packages of fresh meat from 2021.

The plant will allow Tyson Fresh Meats to address increasing demand in the western part of the US. It is expected to generate 800 jobs during its initial phase of operation and an additional 400 jobs within three years.

Tyson Fresh Meats’ meat packaging plant location

Salt Lake City was selected as a preferred location for the case-ready beef and pork plant because of its connectivity to other parts of the region via motorways and railways.

An emerging technology hub, Salt Lake City offers access to qualified workers and property, which will support the facility’s future expansion.

Tyson Fresh Meats’ Utah meat packaging plant details

Spread across 400,000ft², the meat packaging facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art processing, portioning and packaging equipment for cutting, trimming and packaging of red meat products.

The plant will receive large amounts of high-quality beef and pork produced at Tyson Foods’ facilities, which process live-fed cattle / hogs into primal and sub-primal meat cuts.

The meat will be separated, processed and cut into steaks, roasts and chops, as well as ground into minced beef, providing consistent consumer-ready products.

The meat cuts will be weighed and packaged before labelling, and the case-ready meat will be shipped to food retailers in Utah and nearby states.

The plant will house facilities for box handling, quality assurance (QA), storage, maintenance and production management.

Details of Tyson Fresh Meats’ case-ready plants

Tyson Fresh Meats runs three case-ready facilities in the US, including Council Bluff, Iowa; Sherman, Texas; and Goodlettsville, Tennessee. The plants deliver case-ready meat products in vacuum-sealed packages that are convenient and leak-proof.

With a shelf life of 28 days, the case-ready packaging provides increased efficiency, easy freezability, product consistency and improved food safety. It provides significant advantages to retailers and foodservice operators while reducing the need for labour.

Financing

Tyson Fresh Meats will receive $5.26m in post-performance tax credits until 2029 from the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah), through the Economic Development Finance (EDIF) programme.

The authority will offer $300,000 in post-performance grants via the state’s Industrial Assistance Fund for last-mile infrastructure.

The facility is expected to generate approximately $27m in tax revenue for the state of Utah and an estimated $1bn in economic benefits by 2029 through investments, sales taxes, construction and salaries.

Marketing commentary on Tyson Fresh Meats

Formerly Iowa Beef Packers (IBP), Tyson Fresh Meats supplies fresh beef and pork products to food retailers, restaurant operators, food processors and foodservice distributors.

IBP was founded in 1960 and acquired by Tyson Foods in 2001.

Headquartered in South Dakota, US, Tyson Fresh Meats has a presence in Mexico, Europe and Asia. It offers traditional trim, case-ready trimmed and speciality cuts, as well as ground beef products and traditional trimmed pork.

The company’s product portfolio comprises Chairman’s Reserve^® Meats, Star Ranch Angus^®, Open Prairie^® Natural Meats, ibp Trusted Excellence^® Beef and Pork, Supreme Tender^® Pork, Reuben^® Corned Beef and Case Ready Variety Meats.