WRIGHT CITY, MO. — Family-owned, Green Bay, Wis.-based American Foods Group (AFG) LLC announced that its greenfield beef harvest facility, America’s Heartland Packing LLC, is in the final stages of construction. The $800 million state-of-the-art mixed cattle facility based in Wright City, Mo., will begin operations in April 2025.
The project broke ground in 2022, laying the foundation for the 775,000-square-foot plant that will include a harvest floor, carcass chillers, fabrication area, rendering, further processing area, storage coolers, freezers and loading docks. The company will have the capacity to process 2,400 head of cattle per day once fully operational.
“America’s Heartland Packing is a game changer for Missouri agriculture,” said Chris Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. “The impact of this plant not only reaches producers but also feed stores, farm supply stores and veterinary clinics in towns across the area as producers retain cattle for processing. We welcome American Foods Group and thank them for bringing this family-owned business to Missouri.”
The new facility is projected to create 1,300 jobs when at full capacity. The hiring process is currently underway, said AFG. Through job fairs, the company has connected with hundreds of applicants and has already hired approximately 400 employees, with the majority of skilled hires being local residents.
By building within Missouri’s robust agricultural community, AFG looks to bring beef processing closer to cattle production, reducing costs and energy usage.
A key component of the project is a new wastewater treatment facility in Wright City. Funded and built by AFG in collaboration with Missouri Public Water Supply District #2, the $140 million project replaces the current lagoon system with a modern facility that increases capacity from 500,000 gallons per day to 3.5 million gallons.
“We remain dedicated to a seamless start to operations and eagerly anticipate coming online,” said Steve Van Lannen, president and chief operation officer of American Foods Group. “While tours are currently paused to prioritize our startup efforts, we plan to host an open house for our partners and supporters this fall.”