POCAHONTAS, Ark. – In June PECO Foods, Inc. celebrated ten years of operations in Northeast Arkansas, marking a decade of job creation, agricultural growth, and community investment.
Since opening in 2016, PECO has grown into Arkansas’ fourth-largest manufacturing employer, with more than 1,700 employees in Northeast Arkansas and more than 3,100 employees statewide. The company’s initial investment of more than $200 million established a 272,000-square-foot processing facility in Pocahontas and a feed mill in Corning.
PECO’s impact extends well beyond its workforce. Through a network of more than 1,000 poultry houses, the company supports farm families and generates economic activity that reaches communities across Northeast Arkansas. From feed suppliers and trucking companies to equipment dealers and local retailers, PECO helps sustain an agricultural supply chain that remains one of the region’s most important economic engines.
According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, poultry and egg sales in Randolph County alone exceeded $251 million annually, ranking among the top 3% of poultry-producing counties in the United States.
“As a fourth-generation, family-owned company, we are proud to have called Arkansas home for the past decade, with three of our twenty facilities rooted here. At PECO, we know our people are the reason we have thrived for nearly a century, and our Arkansas team members are a vital part of that success, said Brad Shelton, Plant Manager of the Pocahontas Complex. “We are grateful for the communities that have welcomed us and for the partnerships we’ve been able to build over these ten years.”
“PECO Foods has been one of the most significant economic development investments in Northeast Arkansas
said Graycen Bigger,
Executive Director of the Northeast Arkansas Regional
Intermodal Authority. “Their commitment to our region has created opportunities for thousands of families and strengthened and diversified our agricultural sector. Just as importantly, PECO has been a model corporate citizen, supporting employees, partnering with our communities, and investing in workforce development through Black River Technical College and Arkansas State University. We are grateful for their presence in Northeast Arkansas, and we look forward to another decade of growth and partnership as we continue to feed the nation.
As PECO celebrates this milestone, its continued investment in employees, growers, and local communities positions the company for continued success in the years ahead. The Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority congratulates PECO Foods, its leadership team, growers, and employees on ten successful years in Northeast Arkansas and looks forward to the company’s continued growth and impact.
