LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Custom Craft Poultry announced they are opening a new poultry processing plant in Little Rock.
The company has repurposed the former Odom’s Tennessee Pride sausage plant on Asher Avenue and invested nearly $10 million in the project.
Through the company’s expansion into Little Rock, Custom Craft Poultry hopes to introduce new opportunities to the community, its employees, and its customers, according to CEO Randell Smith.
“We are very proud of our facility in Batesville and look forward to the additional opportunities that Little Rock holds for team members and customers,” Smith said. “We are focused on providing the same quality and service our customers have grown to expect from our company. It will also provide a great employment opportunity for the people of Little Rock and surrounding areas.”
Custom Craft Poultry has been Arkansas-owned and operated since 2015 and seeks to provide its customers with the highest quality fresh and frozen poultry products. Its Batesville site currently produces approximately 60 million pounds of poultry each year.
“It is always a great day when we see our homegrown businesses expand thanks to the hard work and dedication of their employees,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “I’m pleased to welcome Custom Craft to Little Rock and wish them well in the future.”
With this expansion, the company expects to increase employment by 290 new jobs, bringing the total number of employees in Batesville and Little Rock to nearly 500. Custom Craft Poultry boasts new job opportunities, a family environment, and flexible work schedules.
“Poultry is a huge part of the economy in Arkansas,” said Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston. “Custom Craft Poultry’s decision to expand into Little Rock demonstrates that local businesses can grow and thrive here in The Natural State even when times seem tough. I congratulate them on this recent success.”
The company’s new location in Little Rock will focus primarily on fresh chicken for food service and further processing.
“We welcome Custom Craft Poultry as the newest member of Little Rock’s vibrant business community,” Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said. “They’re bringing high-quality jobs to an area of our City that needs more employment opportunity and repurposing an empty facility that will have a big impact on our effort to revitalize the Asher Avenue corridor. I am grateful for their investment and their friendship, and I look forward to working together to ensure the company’s success in Little Rock.”