Fair Oaks Foods plans to construct a fully cooked bacon facility in Davenport, Iowa. The $134 million investment includes a 150,000-square-foot facility in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center and will create an estimated 247 new full-time jobs. The plant is expected to commence operations in early 2024.

The project was announced during a press conference on Tuesday, June 14, with representatives from Fair Oaks Foods, the City of Davenport, and the Quad Cities Chamber.

The Austin Company will serve as the design-builder for the project. Austin Consulting, an arm of The Austin Company, assisted Fair Oaks Foods with site location evaluation for the project. Austin, established more than 140 years ago, has a long history of building for the food and beverage industry. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Austin also has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Irvine, California; Kalamazoo, Michigan; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; and London, England. Austin also recently purchased Gala and Associates, an engineering company in Beverly Hills, Michigan.  

"We value our role in this important investment made by a great company in a vibrant and progressive city. We are looking forward to a fruitful partnership that will deliver a successful project to all stakeholders," said Austin President and CEO Mike Pierce.

Fair Oaks Foods, headquartered in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, is a family-owned meat processing company and the 11th largest Black-owned business in the U.S. Founded in 1985, it produces and supplies a variety of protein products, including bacon, meatballs, pork, and turkey sausage to food service, national grocery stores, and quick-serve restaurants globally. The Davenport facility will expand the company's current capabilities and produce fully cooked bacon.

Source: The Austin Co.