Pilgrim’s Pride to convert Alabama plant to no-antibiotics-ever chicken production
Russellville facility to complete shift by early 2026 as demand for antibiotic-free chicken grows
USA – Pilgrim’s Pride is in the process of converting its Russellville, Alabama facility into a no-antibiotics-ever (NAE) processing plant, with the project expected to wrap up in the first quarter of 2026.
The announcement was made during the company’s second quarter earnings call on July 31, where Chief Financial Officer Matthew Galvanoni confirmed that the transformation is already underway.
Chief Executive Officer Fabio Sandri said the move is driven by increasing customer demand for NAE poultry, as well as specific requirements from a key client.
He noted that more than one-third of all fresh chicken sold in the U.S. falls under either the NAE or organic category, making this shift a strategic response to market trends.
According to Sandri, Pilgrim’s Pride currently leads the industry in NAE chicken production, and the Russellville plant change aligns with efforts to support its case-ready segment under NAE and vegetarian-fed programs.
Despite the switch, the company is not scaling back on big bird production, which remains a core part of its operations.
Sandri explained that Pilgrim’s is reviewing its plant operations to optimize output across bird sizes and create flexibility to meet changing market conditions.
He added that the company intends to maintain its current product mix, which includes various bird sizes, to reduce exposure to market volatility and improve production capacity.
This development at the Russellville facility follows Pilgrim’s recent announcement that it will build a prepared foods plant in LaFayette, Georgia.
That Georgia plant is expected to create around 630 jobs and will support the growth of branded products such as Just Bare, Pilgrim’s and Gold Kist.
Pilgrim’s Pride, based on data from the WATTPoultry.com Top Poultry Companies Database, is currently the second largest poultry processor in the U.S.
The company produced approximately 1.51 billion broiler chickens over the past year, operating 26 slaughter plants, 33 hatcheries, and 27 feed mills across the country.
Pilgrim’s also maintains production sites in Mexico and Europe, giving it a wide international footprint in the poultry sector.
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