Jacksonville, Fla. – A shuttered Tyson Foods facility in Jacksonville will soon be back in operation after Thomas Foods International USA finalized its purchase and announced plans for major upgrades.
The company acquired the 50,000-square-foot plant on West Fifth Street for $3.55 million and intends to invest an additional $28 million to modernize the site. Once complete, the facility is expected to produce up to 1 million pounds of finished product each week and create as many as 100 jobs.
City Incentives and Economic Impact
The project, referred to as Project Pan by city officials, includes $800,000 in local incentives approved by the Jacksonville City Council. To keep the funding, Thomas Foods must maintain at least 10 jobs through 2029.
New positions at the facility are projected to pay an average annual wage of $59,211, with an additional $16,000 in employee benefits. The move is part of a broader effort to boost Jacksonville’s role in meat processing and leverage its port access for increased trade.
The original Tyson plant closed in 2024, resulting in the loss of 219 jobs.
Part of a Larger U.S. Strategy
Thomas Foods already operates a major processing facility in Swedesboro, N.J., distributing more than 100 million pounds of meat annually. The Jacksonville expansion marks a significant step in the company’s U.S. growth strategy and strengthens its presence in the Southeast.
