Global food company employs more than 40,000 in the United States
BALTIMORE, MD (April 1, 2019) – Smithfield Foods, Inc., a U.S.-based global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer, is opening a new distribution center in Cecil County, creating 240 new jobs. The 420,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility will be constructed in the Principio Business Park, which will allow the company to better support its daily operations and improve service to its customers in the Northeast.
“This new distribution center is an essential part of our efforts to streamline our national logistics network to optimize our operations, while advancing our ambitious sustainability goals,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer for Smithfield Foods. “We are proud to become part of the business community in Maryland, a location that provides strategic advantages for our business and improves our ability to provide high-quality product to our customers and consumers.”
Based in Smithfield, Virginia for more than 80 years, Smithfield Foods offers multiple market-leading brands that hold top market share in numerous packaged meats categories in the U.S. With more than 54,000 employees worldwide, the company has farms, facilities, and offices throughout the United States and Europe, and is passionate about producing good food the right way through its industry leading sustainability program.
“It is a tremendous win for the state and for Cecil County that a global company like Smithfield Foods, which has worldwide brand recognition, has chosen to continue its growth in Maryland,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “This new facility and the 240 new jobs it brings underscores our administration’s promise to make Maryland more business friendly and create job opportunities for our citizens.”
“We are pleased to assist in facilitating Smithfield’s expansion into Cecil County as a hub for distribution in the northeastern United States along the Interstate-95 corridor,” said Cecil County Executive Alan McCarthy. “Our Office of Economic Development works to help businesses, like Smithfield, succeed in Cecil County. We are honored and proud to have attracted them and we look forward to supporting their growth in this new facility at the Principio Business Park.”
“A growing demand for Smithfield’s products is driving their new facility in Maryland, and we are proud to support this global company’s expansion,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz. “With access to one-third of the U.S. population within an overnight drive, Maryland provides a competitive advantage for a food company like Smithfield to reach a significant customer base.”
