MOCKSVILLE, NC – House of Raeford Farms has revived a shuttered further processing plant in Mocksville, NC. The company also acquired the Speedy Bird trademark and plans to launch chicken products under the brand.
House of Raeford bought the 64,000 sq.-ft. facility in October 2013. The facility will produced fully cooked chicken products such as fajita strips and filets; whole muscle and formed chicken tenders, filets, wings, nuggets and patties; and, fully-cooked chicken sausage and burgers.
“Combined with production capabilities at our cook plants in Raeford, NC and Hemingway, SC, we are now in a position to offer our retail, foodservice, and co-pack customers an even wider variety of further processed chicken and turkey products at competitive prices and increased supply,” said Bob Johnson, president and CEO.
Operations at the Mocksville plant began in April after being idle for two years. House of Raeford refurbished the building, equipment and grounds.
“Davie County is a great fit for Raeford Farms,” said Steve Mixon, production manager, in a statement. “Employees here have a strong work ethic and excellent attitudes and doing business with local contractors takes just a handshake to seal the deal.
“We’re in this for the long haul. After 70 years in the business, Raeford Farms doesn’t give up on long term projects. We are starting out slow and building the right team for the long term. We currently have about 35 full time employees and expect to build up to about 200 employees over the next 24 months.”
House of Raeford, based in Rose Hill, NC, operates poultry plants in Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina as well as North Carolina. The company employs 5,000 workers.