Georgia – A major investment is heading to northwest Georgia, as Governor Brian Kemp revealed plans for a new prepared foods facility from global food leader Pilgrim’s. The corporation will develop the multi-phase plant in LaFayette, Walker County. When it is finished, it will create more than 630 new employment in the area.
Governor Kemp said that Georgia’s agriculture economy is very important to the state’s prosperity and that this new development is good for families and communities.
“Georgia’s No. 1 industry of agriculture continues to drive growth with companies like Pilgrim’s creating quality jobs in communities like LaFayette,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “As our state’s economy continues to advance, we are excited to see these continued innovations and the opportunities they will bring for hardworking Georgians.”
Georgia is not new to Pilgrim’s. The company has about 7,500 people working in seven production facilities across the state. It also has hatcheries and feed mills that help support its operations. With a $400 million investment, Pilgrim’s is getting ready to make its presence in Georgia even bigger.
“Expanding the Pilgrim’s footprint in Georgia highlights our ongoing commitment to the region and our company’s long-term growth strategy,” said Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim’s CEO. “This significant investment will allow further growth of our prepared foods business by expanding brands like Just Bare, Pilgrim’s, and Gold Kist, and supporting increasing demand in retail and foodservice channels. We are also proud of our role in creating jobs and being a strong community partner.”
The new plant will focus on making fully cooked chicken products for the fast-growing retail and restaurant industries. The Walker County Business Park will be home to it, and development is set to start in the fall of 2025. In 2027, job openings should start to appear, just in time for the first phase of the facility to go live.
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The Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Walker County Development Authority, and Georgia Quick Start were all important in getting the project off the ground. Lori Dowdy, Senior Regional Project Manager with GDEcD’s Global Commerce division, was the state’s representative in this competitive bid to get the investment.
Pilgrim’s has operations in 14 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Europe, and the U.K. and employs more than 61,000 people around the world. The company sells high-quality protein products to big grocery stores and restaurants all around the world.
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This project means not only new jobs for Georgians looking for work in the food production business, but also long-term economic benefits for Walker County and beyond. People who want to work for Pilgrim’s can find out more at jobs.pilgrims.com.
