Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale announced Monday that it has acquired Tecumseh Poultry LLC of Waverly, Nebraska.
Terms of the acquisition were not announced. Tecumseh, which began in 1998, sells organic poultry products, including its Smart Chicken brand.
“This is a well-run company with a solid customer base that’s earned consumer loyalty,” said Tyson Poultry President Doug Ramsey. “We’re excited for Tecumseh to continue to produce quality chicken while providing the business the scale and resources it needs to continue growing.”
Tyson said it would operate Tecumseh as a separate subsidiary. Tecumseh has approximately 600 employees, which Tyson said it plans to keep, and two production plants in Nebraska.
“Consumers want choices; more and more consumers want options for fresh, organic food that fits their lifestyles,” said Eric Schwartz, Tyson’s chief marketing officer of poultry. “The Smart Chicken brand is a leader in this key organic category, and the category’s growth makes this acquisition a strategic fit for Tyson Foods.”
Tyson said organic fresh chicken sales grew more than 8.5 percent from 2016 to 2017, and Tecumseh’s Smart Chicken brand is USDA certified organic. Tecumseh said it chills its fresh chicken products with air rather than water, which it said better preserves the chicken.
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