OK Foods to Give 500K Pounds of Chicken to Food Bank

R. Trent Goins

OK Foods Inc. of Fort Smith on Thursday announced what it described as a strategic long-term partnership with the River Valley Regional Food Bank in Fort Smith.

The deal starts with a five-year commitment, the largest in OK Foods’ history, to provide 500,000 pounds of chicken products to the food bank for needy people in the River Valley.

The donation is the first step in the company’s sustained giving plan involving Feeding America food banks in areas surrounding its headquarters. Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States, according to the release. 

Ken Kupchick, director of marketing and development for Feeding America, told Arkansas Business that OK Foods’ gift has a wholesale value of $1.49 million, based on 2015 prices. 

“At OK Foods, we take seriously our mission to nourish the world,” President and CEO Trent Goins said in a news release. “We are grateful that our parent company, Bachoco, is supportive in our mission and our efforts. There is a big need for nourishment in our community, and OK Foods is eager to support that need by partnering with the River Valley Regional Food Bank.”

Sebastian County has a child food insecurity rate of 30 percent, and 6,700 children in Fort Smith are affected by hunger, according to the company.

“This commitment from OK Foods will help provide thousands of meals for our hungriest neighbors,” said Ted Clemons, the food bank’s director. “By guaranteeing high-quality protein over the next five years, OK Foods’ donation is adding great stability to our operations.”

The food bank and the Crawford-Sebastian County Community Development Council are renovating a recently donated facility that will allow the food bank to increase its capacity to service food pantries and feeding agencies across a seven-county region.

OK Foods, founded by the late Collier Wenderoth Sr., is poultry company owned by Industrias Bachoco of Mexico.