“2020 was the year that no one saw coming,” said Jonathan Amidei, chief operating officer of Swaggerty Sausage Co. Inc.
It was a sentiment that many meat and poultry processors share. The industry, in a normal year, is often fraught with pitfalls – labor shortages, raw material supplies, government regulations, changing consumer tastes. All of those issues existed in 2020. Add to that a global pandemic that killed more than 400,000 Americans, crippled the foodservice industry and changed the way of life of everyone, and you are left with the most challenging business environment in the recent history of the meat industry.
2021 Top 100 Index:
For many companies, staying afloat was an accomplishment in and of itself. The leading processors, whether those in the Top 100 or the Greatest Gains lists or others, found a way to not only survive, but thrive.
“We learned that we had to quickly adapt to unexpected changes in business while maintaining our high standards of product quality, people safety and cost containment,” Amidei added. “Retail business flourished and more than offset the foodservice declines.”
“Adapting quickly” became a mantra for many of the companies in the Top 100. Nancy Matheson-Burns, president and CEO of the Woburn, Mass.-based Dole & Bailey, said that the company quickly pivoted to new ventures when many of its foodservice customers shut down. Within days, the company had made a significant push for retail, ultimately growing its retail business by 400 percent by the end of the year.
“Within two days we created a comprehensive online platform utilizing our current website for direct sales to homes during the lockdown. This allowed for contactless home delivery during the pandemic throughout our community. Sales were so successful we have migrated to a more robust platform using Shopify and have continued to evolve and grow this segment of our business,” she added.
As a result of hard work and quick-thinking, many of the companies in this year’s Top 100 and Greatest Gains Reports reported a positive year, even if it wasn’t a runaway success. Of the 33 companies who responded to our poll, 11 indicated that 2020 was their “Best Year Ever,” while 11 more described it as “Good.” The remaining companies called the year either “Average” or “Poor,” but no company described it as the worst ever.
Cautious optimism
Prospects for the coming year are more optimistic. Twenty respondents say that the next year will be better than the last one.
However, there are still speedbumps in the road. COVID-19 remains a top concern. Processors are wary of a resurgence, of getting vaccines for their employees in a timely manner, of the economy recovering from the toll of the pandemic.
COVID-19 is not the most pressing concern, however; labor is. There are simply not enough employees to go around, and that vanished labor pool is inhibiting growth in some cases. This isn’t a new concern in the industry, but it was something that was exacerbated by the pandemic.
“It continues to get harder to attract qualified workers into food manufacturing in the more rural areas,” said one company leader. In total, 13 processors mentioned labor as a leading concern for the next year.
Many of the opportunities are COVID-related as well. Several processors predict a resurgence in the foodservice market, while others believe that the new markets and new relationships they formed in 2020 will pay big dividends in 2021 and beyond.
If your company would like to be considered for the 2022 Top 100 Report, email Sam Gazdziak at gazdziaks@bnpmedia.com.
2021 Market Segment Reports
Select a market segment in order to view the report:
Editor’s note: The market segment reports are gathered by information submitted by the following companies, or information that is publicly available. Those companies that did not respond or declined to provide specific information were not included.
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
JBS USA | 20,829 | 39,300 |
OSI Group LLC | 2,928 | 6,100 |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 864.7 | 9,608 |
Caviness Beef Packers Ltd. | 720 | 720 |
Lone Star Beef Processors | 550 | 550 |
CS Beef Packers LLC | 545 | 545 |
Golden West Food Group | 392.8 | 958 |
Colorado Premium | 361.3 | 425 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 357.5 | 650 |
Standard Meat Co. | 346.8 | 600 |
Golden State Foods | 291 | 300 |
Omaha Steaks International Inc. | 279 | 450 |
Dole & Bailey Inc. | 207 | 430 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 130.9 | 818.6 |
John Soules Foods Inc. | 109.6 | 577 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 108 | 720 |
Prime Meats (Norsan Meats LLC) | 78.7 | 126.9 |
Abbyland Foods Inc. | 77.5 | 310 |
Deitz & Watson Inc. | 72 | 600 |
George’s Inc. | 60 | 1,500 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
JBS USA | 12.183 | 39,300 |
Sanderson Farms Inc. | 3,546 | 3,546 |
George’s Inc. | 1,410 | 1,500 |
House of Raeford Farms Inc. | 1,100 | 1,100 |
OSI Group LLC | 732 | 6,100 |
Farmers Pride Inc. (dba Bell & Evans) | 488 | 488 |
John Soules Foods Inc. | 467.4 | 577 |
Golden West Food Group | 258.7 | 958 |
Standard Meat Co. | 214.8 | 600 |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 192.1 | 9,608 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 162.5 | 650 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 108 | 720 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 73.7 | 818.6 |
Deitz & Watson Inc. | 72 | 600 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 60.5 | 1,210 |
Colorado Premium | 51 | 425 |
Dole & Bailey Inc. | 38.5 | 430 |
Omaha Steaks International Inc. | 36 | 450 |
Indiana Packers Corp. | 24 | 1,200 |
Abbyland Foods Inc. | 15 | 310 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
JBS USA | 6,288 | 39,300 |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 5,188.6 | 9,608 |
OSI Group LLC | 1,769 | 6,100 |
Indiana Packers Corp. | 1,116 | 1,200 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 1,089 | 1,210 |
Rantoul Foods | 316.3 | 316.3 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 237.4 | 818.6 |
Deitz & Watson Inc. | 222 | 600 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 216 | 720 |
Golden West Food Group | 182.0 | 958 |
Swaggerty Sausage Co. Inc. | 180 | 180 |
Abbyland Foods Inc. | 170.5 | 310 |
J.H. Routh Packing Co. | 166 | 166 |
Williams Sausage Co. Inc. | 137.7 | 137.7 |
Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats Inc. | 122.5 | 136.1 |
Cooper Farms | 121 | 605 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 97.5 | 650 |
Trim-Rite Food Corp. | 89.2 | 89.2 |
Burgers’ Smokehouse | 87.2 | 98 |
Pederson Natural Farms Inc. | 63 | 70 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
Hormel Foods Corp. | 1,921.7 | 9,608 |
Cooper Farms | 393.3 | 605 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 288 | 720 |
Dakota Provisions LLC | 209.1 | 255 |
Deitz & Watson Inc. | 198 | 600 |
OSI Group LLC | 61 | 6,100 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 49.1 | 818.6 |
Abbyland Foods Inc. | 46.5 | 310 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 36.3 | 1,210 |
Indiana Packers Corp. | 36 | 1,200 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 32.5 | 650 |
Golden West Food Group | 28.7 | 958 |
George’s Inc. | 15 | 1,500 |
Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats Inc. | 13.6 | 136.1 |
Omaha Steaks International Inc. | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
JBS USA | 7,467 | 39,300 |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 576.5 | 9,608 |
OSI Group LLC | 549 | 6,100 |
Sanderson Farms Inc. | 308.5 | 3,546 |
Indiana Packers Corp. | 240 | 1,200 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 121 | 1,210 |
House of Raeford Farms Inc. | 121 | 1,100 |
Caviness Beef Packers Ltd. | 108 | 720 |
George’s Inc. | 75 | 1,500 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 65 | 650 |
Lone Star Beef Processors | 55 | 550 |
CS Beef Packers LLC | 54.5 | 545 |
Dakota Provisions LLC | 51 | 255 |
Cooper Farms | 48.4 | 605 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 36 | 720 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
Sanderson Farms Inc. | 3,219.8 | 3,546 |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 1,537.4 | 9,608 |
George’s Inc. | 375 | 375 |
OSI Group LLC | 305 | 6,100 |
Farmers Pride Inc. (dba Bell & Evans) | 195.2 | 488 |
Deitz & Watson Inc. | 150 | 600 |
Pederson Natural Farms Inc. | 63 | 70 |
Golden West Food Group | 38.3 | 958 |
Caviness Beef Packers Ltd. | 36 | 720 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 14.4 | 720 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
Hormel Foods Corp. | 6,629.8 | 9,608 |
Sanderson Farms Inc. | 3,210.5 | 3,546 |
George’s Inc. | 1,050 | 1,500 |
Indiana Packers Corp. | 960 | 1,200 |
House of Raeford Farms Inc. | 946 | 1,100 |
Golden West Food Group | 862.2 | 958 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 847 | 1,210 |
OSI Group LLC | 610 | 6,100 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 576 | 720 |
Caviness Beef Packers Ltd. | 576 | 720 |
Cooper Farms | 514.3 | 605 |
Lone Star Beef Processors | 495 | 550 |
CS Beef Packers LLC | 436 | 545 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 425.7 | 818.6 |
Farmers Pride Inc. (dba Bell & Evans) | 414.8 | 488 |
Colorado Premium | 255 | 425 |
Standard Meat Co. | 246.6 | 600 |
Dole & Bailey Inc. | 199.8 | 430 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 195 | 650 |
J.H. Routh Packing Co. | 132.8 | 166 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
OSI Group LLC | 5,490 | 6,100 |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 576.5 | 9,608 |
John Soules Foods Inc. | 536.6 | 577 |
Stampede Meat Inc. | 455 | 650 |
George’s Inc. | 450 | 1,500 |
Omaha Steaks International Inc. | 450 | 450 |
Sanderson Farms Inc. | 425.5 | 3,546 |
Standard Meat Co. | 353.4 | 600 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 242 | 1,210 |
Indiana Packers Corp. | 240 | 1,200 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 221 | 818.6 |
Dole & Bailey Inc. | 187.7 | 430 |
Golden State Foods | 180 | 300 |
Swaggerty Sausage Co. Inc. | 180 | 180 |
Abbyland Foods Inc. | 170.5 | 310 |
Colorado Premium | 170 | 425 |
Caviness Beef Packers Ltd. | 144 | 720 |
Dakota Provisions LLC | 127.5 | 255 |
House of Raeford Farms Inc. | 110 | 1,100 |
CS Beef Packers LLC | 109 | 545 |
Company | Sales in Sector
(in millions) |
Overall Sales
(in millions) |
---|---|---|
Hormel Foods Corp. | 2,402.1 | 9,608 |
Monogram Food Solutions | 163.7 | 818.6 |
Carl Buddig & Co. | 144 | 720 |
Fresh Mark Inc. | 121 | 1,210 |
Deitz & Watson Inc. | 90 | 600 |