HURLOCK, MD. – Allen Family Foods Inc. plans to sell its big bird production complex in Hurlock to South Carolina-based Amick Farms LLC, according to WBOC-TV. The sale includes the company's Hurlock processing plant, the Hurlock hatchery and the Delmar, Del., feed mill. All employees and growers of these three facilities will be retained by Amick. All remaining Allen's employees and growers will stay with the company.

At present, the Hurlock complex employes more than 1,100 people and contracts with more than 100 poultry growers in the area. The sale is anticipated to be closed by June 30.


In other news, Bob Turley, Allen Family Foods president and chief executive officer, announced in April plans for an immediate expansion of the company’s Harbeson, Del. processing facility.

“As part of our strategic business plan to continue as a premier supplier of tray-pack products, we will increase production from 1 million birds per week to 1.2 million by September of this year,” he said. “We are also in the planning stages for additional production increases in 2011-12.”

The expansion will add approximately 70 jobs in 2010, and up to 200 jobs during the 2011-12 expansion period, he concluded.