PERRY, GA. — Meat snack manufacturer Jack Link’s has unveiled plans to invest $450 million to build a new processing plant on a 120-acre site in Perry. The addition of the plant will create 800 new jobs, the company said.

“We are excited to partner with the state of Georgia and Houston County on this state-of-the-art facility,” said Troy Link, chief executive officer of Jack Link’s. “We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in Perry for the long term and are committed to becoming a strong community advocate.”

“For us this is a big project; it’s our biggest project ever,” said Kevin McAdams, president of Jack Link’s North America, during a press conference announcing the new plant. He said the company considered more than 30 other cities around the country, but decided on Perry because stakeholders liked the culture of the community, the business climate and the workforce in the area. 

McAdams said the company will immediately begin the hiring process for five key positions at the plant, including a plant manager, a human resource manager, comptroller, food safety and quality director and plant engineer. 

Jack Link’s is partnering with design-build firm, Stellar on the project, which is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2023. Other groups backing the facility included the Georgia Governor’s Office, Development Authority of Houston County and Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD).

“We are excited to welcome Jack Link’s to Georgia and look forward to a long and productive partnership with one of the most recognizable brands in the food industry,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of GDEcD. “The most important aspect of long-term health and prosperity in our rural communities is economic investment and job growth. It is particularly gratifying to see the work we’ve put in with partners across the state continue to attract generational investments into communities like Perry.

Founded in 1985 in Minong, Wis., Jack Link’s operates multiple processing plants throughout the Midwest. The company also operates facilities in New Zealand, Brazil and Germany. The company’s brands include Jack Link’s, Lorissa’s Kitchen, Wild River, Golden Island, Matador, BiFi and Peperami.