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The story
Founded by John W. Tyson in 1935, in Springdale.1
The company was established by John W. Tyson in 1935. It expanded during World War II, when chicken was not included in foods that were rationed by the federal government. As of 2025, the company employed 133,000 people. Tyson's locations are concentrated in the Midwest and South.
Tyson produces about one-fifth of the beef, chicken, and pork sold in the United States. It supplies meat to a majority of retail grocers across the U.S. It also supplies Yum! Brands chains that use chicken, including KFC and Taco Bell, as well as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Walmart, Kroger, IGA, Beef O'Brady's, American restaurants, delis, and schools.
The company makes a wide variety of animal-based, prepared foods. In 2019, Tyson Foods slaughtered approximately 155,000 cattle, 461,000 pigs, and 45,000,000 chickens every week at its 200 facilities worldwide.
In 2021, Tyson Foods launched two vegetarian patty breakfast sandwiches under its Jimmy Dean brand, along with hamburger patties and grounds, bratwurst, and Italian sausages. In 2025, the company was named one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, taking the top spot in the Food Production category.
Acquisitions and investments
In 2001, Tyson Foods acquired IBP, Inc., the largest beef packer and number two pork processor in the United States, for US$3.2 billion in cash and stock. Along with its purchase of IBP, it acquired the naming rights to an event center in Sioux City, Iowa. Tyson has also acquired such companies as Hudson Foods Company, Garrett poultry, Washington Creamery, Franz Foods, Prospect Farms, Krispy Kitchens, Ocoma Foods, Cassady Broiler, Vantress Pedigree, Wilson Foods, Honeybear Foods, Mexican Original, Valmac Industries, Heritage Valley, Lane Poultry, Cobb-Vantress, Holly Farms, Wright Brand Foods, Inc. and Don Julio Foods.
In June 2014, Tyson won a bidding war against Pilgrim's Pride, agreeing to pay $8.5 billion for the purchase of Hillshire Brands, the maker of Jimmy Dean sausage and Ball Park hot dogs. On July 28, 2014, the company said it would sell its Mexican and Brazilian poultry businesses to JBS S.A. for $575 million and use the proceeds to pay down debt from its pending $7.7 billion purchase of Hillshire Brands Co.
In April 2017, Tyson announced plans to acquire AdvancePierre Foods Holdings, a supplier of packaged sandwiches, for approximately $3.2 billion. The acquisition was completed on June 7, 2017. In November 2017, Tyson Foods bought Philadelphia-based cheesesteak company Original Philly Holdings.
In May 2018, Tyson announced the acquisition of American Proteins, Inc. and AMPRO Products, Inc. for approximately $850 million. On June 1, 2018, Tyson announced plans to sell the Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, Van's, Chef Pierre and Bistro Collection brands to Kohlberg & Company. The sale was completed on August 1. In mid-2018, Tyson Foods agreed to acquire the organic chicken and chicken-sausage brand Smart Chicken and parent company Tecumseh Poultry. On August 9, 2018, Tyson announced that it would sell its pizza crust business, including TNT Crust, to Austin-based Peak Rock Capital, who completed the acquisition on September 4. On August 20, 2018, Tyson announced plans to acquire food supplier Keystone Foods from Marfrig. Tyson announced it had completed the acquisition on November 30, 2018.
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On February 7, 2019, Tyson Foods reached an agreement to acquire the European and Thai businesses of Brazilian food company BRF. The acquisition was completed on June 3, 2019. On January 10, 2020, Tyson Foods announced that it sold its Golden Island jerky business to Jack Link's. On May 15, 2021, Tyson Foods announced that it was selling its pet treats business, including True Chews, Nudges and Top Chews, to General Mills for $1.2 billion. The sale was completed on July 7, 2021.
In May 2023, Tyson Foods Inc. announced its acquisition of Tennessee-based Williams Sausage Co., a processor of fully cooked sausage, bacon, sandwiches and other items for retail and foodservice customers. In March 2024, it was announced Tyson Foods had sold its broiler processing plant, hatchery and feed mill in Dexter, Missouri to the American fresh egg producer, Cal-Maine Foods for an undisclosed amount. In 2023 and 2024, in response to market demands and a decline in earnings, Tyson Foods closed some of its United States plants in an effort to optimize operations. On January 20, 2026, two locations were closed: Lexington, Nebraska, where approximately 3,200 jobs were lost; and Amarillo, Texas, where 1,761 employees were affected.
Meat alternatives and clean meat
In 2016, Tyson Foods bought a 5% stake in the meat alternative company Beyond Meat, becoming the first major meat producer to invest in a meat alternative company. Tyson made an additional investment in Beyond Meat in 2017. In 2019, Tyson sold its stake in advance of Beyond Meat's initial public offering, with CEO Noel White saying Tyson intended to develop its own meat alternatives. The company also developed the "blended products" line called Raised and Rooted, which featured a combination of animal and plant based ingredients. This line initially included vegetarian nuggets as well as burgers with a blend of beef and pea protein, then expanded to include tenders. In 2020, Tyson discontinued the burger and removed egg whites from the nuggets, announcing that the Raised & Rooted brand would be free of animal products moving forward.
In early 2018, Tyson, through its venture capital arm Tyson Ventures, funded clean meat (cultured meat) research with an investment in California-based Memphis Meats. The same year, Tyson Ventures also invested $2.2 million in Israel-based clean meat company Future Meat.
Former CEO Tom Hayes said Tyson's investments in clean meat and meat alternatives "might seem counterintuitive", but they are part of an effort to meet future consumer demand in a sustainable way. The company also announced in July 2015 that it had reduced the use of human antibiotics in its chicken by more than 84% since 2011.
Insects
In 2023, Tyson announced an investment in Protix, a company which raises insects to feed to pets and to non-human animals intended for human consumption.
Sports collaborations
Since 2024, Tyson has partnered with sports teams, including the Green Bay Packers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Arkansas Razorbacks to release chicken nugget products with team-specific branding. The Arkansas Razorbacks collaboration also included sponsored logos for Tyson and Walmart to appear on the team's football field.
Corporate charity
Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated millions of dollars in cash to help non-profit organizations throughout the country. Forbes named Tyson Foods the second most proportionally generous company for its donations in 2007, totaling 1.6% ($8 million) of its annual operating income. Tyson initiated the KNOW Hunger campaign in early 2011 to raise awareness of hunger in the United States. After the Joplin, Missouri tornado of 2011, Tyson sent 77,000 pounds of food to the city. It also sent 100,000 pounds of food to the communities along the Gulf of Mexico after the April 20, 2010, oil spill. In 2012, Tyson donated 38,000 pounds of chicken to Ozarks Food Harvest in the name of the fifth annual McDonald's Cans for Coffee food drive. Tyson has supported "Little Free Pantries," and has partnered with the Chicago Urban League for educational programs on misconceptions about SNAP (food stamp) benefits. During fiscal year 2015, Tyson donated more than 9 million pounds of food. Tyson also "pledged to invest $50 million by 2020 in various efforts to fight food insecurity" in 2015. The company provided $60 million in bonuses to frontline workers and truck drivers in March 2020 for supporting operations to provide food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tyson has also partnered with Feeding America donating $2.5 million and 2.5 million pounds of protein each year in 2022 and 2023. In July 2024, following Hurricane Beryl, Tyson's Meals That Matter disaster relief program provided meals to communities in Houston, Texas. In October 2024, Meals That Matter provided meals to Florida and Georgia communities affected by Hurricane Helene. In April 2025, the program sent meals to help those impacted by flooding in Kentucky. In November 2025, Tyson partnered with McDonald's to donate 40,000 pounds of chicken meat to Ozarks Food Harvest. Tyson Foods has made political donations to both major parties.
Research and development
In 2007, Tyson created the Tyson Discovery Center, a 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m2) R&D center at their headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, to work on new products and better packaging. They later opened a second Discovery Center in Downers Grove, Illinois.
From Wikipedia’s article on Tyson Foods, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.9