Chicken provider, Pilgrim’s Pride has closed its plant in Batesville, but Ozark Mountain Poultry is opening a second location in the vacant plant Monday, November 11th.
The Rogers based company is expanding its production capacity, creating 250 new jobs and doubling the amount of poultry it provides to the restaurant industry.
Currently it provides about 1.5 million pounds of poultry to places like Sam’s Club and Jason’s Deli each week. Ed Fryar, Ozark’s CEO, says he is happy to keep production in-state.
"We're an Arkansas company and we're really excited about not having to go out of the state," said Fryar.
In addition to the jobs in the plant, Fryar says about 100 families will raise farm chicken in the surrounding area.