West Liberty Foods

West Liberty Foods, L.L.C.

Company type	Private; farmer-owned cooperative
Industry	Food processing, Meat processing
Founded	1996
Headquarters	West Liberty, Iowa , United States
Area served	United States
Products	Turkey, beef, chicken, pork products; prepared foods
Number of employees	Over 1,500 (approximate from multiple facilities)

West Liberty Foods, L.L.C. is a food company owned by farmers and based in West Liberty, Iowa. Positioned among the top 50 protein processors in North America, it manufactures more than 650 million pounds of food each year across four production sites. It holds the position of the 34th largest processor of meat and poultry within the United States.

The company supplies products to grocery retailers and restaurant chains across the country, operating facilities located in West Liberty, Iowa; Mount Pleasant, Iowa; Tremonton, Utah; and Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Information

West Liberty Foods functions mainly as a contract manufacturer, with 90% of its production made for other brand owners and only 10% marketed under its own label. Its offerings encompass turkey processing as well as prepared items made from beef, chicken, pork, and turkey. The company’s revenues expanded swiftly: from $65 million in 1997 to $120 million in 2000, reaching $200 million by 2003 and $442 million in 2006—ranking it as the 56th largest meat-packing enterprise in the U.S. by sales volume.

A significant portion of its income originates from large-scale national foodservice clients; notably, West Liberty Foods is Subway’s principal supplier of sliced sandwich meats, providing over one million pounds weekly. This broad customer base subjects the company to stringent regulatory inspections. Its three manufacturing plants have earned ISO 14001 certification for environmental management; notably, the West Liberty facility was the first turkey processor in the U.S. to receive this certification.

The company maintains specialized research and development along with laboratory testing centers adjacent to its primary plant. The R&D department oversees product development from initial formulation through packaging stages. Its laboratory supports quality assurance across all locations by employing rapid PCR bacteriological testing technology that delivers results within 30 hours post-production.

History

Before 1996, the processing facility in West Liberty was owned by Louis Rich, Oscar Mayer’s turkey division. In early 1996, Kraft Foods—the parent company of Oscar Mayer—announced plans to shut down the plant by December unless a buyer was found. To preserve demand for their turkeys, Iowa growers explored acquiring the facility. In May 1996, a group of 47 growers established the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative (ITGC) and purchased the plant from Kraft that December. They appointed industry veteran Ken Rutledge as president and COO. Oscar Mayer supported this new venture by agreeing to purchase half of the plant’s production in 1997 and one-quarter in 1998.

Operations under ITGC commenced in January 1997 during a period of turkey market oversupply with prices falling short of expectations—averaging $1.46 per pound instead of the anticipated $1.92—leading to financial difficulties and causing four growers to withdraw. Prices subsequently improved, partially due to sales agreements with Sara Lee toward the end of 1998.

Sales at West Liberty Foods continued to increase steadily afterward. In 2000, it expanded by acquiring a second facility in Sigourney, Iowa from Pinnacle Foods to accommodate growing demand; this plant was later sold in 2012. Further expansion included opening a new processing site in Mount Pleasant, Iowa in 2003 with additional enlargement in 2004. Leadership changes occurred in 2004 when Ed Garrett succeeded Rutledge as president and COO. In 2006, West Liberty Foods entered into a marketing partnership with Norbest Foods based in Midvale, Utah.

On April 9, 2020, following three confirmed COVID-19 cases among employees at the West Liberty facility, operations were suspended until April 14 to allow for thorough sanitation procedures.

Labor dispute

In 2004, employees at the West Liberty facility explored the possibility of affiliating with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW). On July 1 of that year, an initial vote on union representation showed a narrow margin favoring unionization, 301 to 299, excluding 13 contested ballots challenged as being cast by management staff. A National Labor Relations Board hearing was arranged but postponed from January to February 2005. On February 1, the UFCW and the company reached an agreement in which the union withdrew its objections, and West Liberty Foods guaranteed no plant shutdowns or layoffs would occur if unionization was approved. The final tally then shifted to 303 votes against and 308 in favor of union representation.

A subsequent UFCW election conducted on July 15, 2005, ended with a count of 231 to 322 opposing unionization. In 2009, the company compensated Labor Information Services—an antiunion consulting firm affiliated with The Burke Group—with $58,613.75 for conducting employee meetings concerning union-related topics.

West Liberty facility

The West Liberty site is dedicated to turkey slaughter and processing, handling approximately 20,000 turkeys daily during work shifts.

Established in 1943 by Louis H. Rich after acquiring a former tomato canning plant, the operation transitioned from general poultry slaughter in 1946 to exclusively focusing on turkey by 1949 under the leadership of his sons Norman and Martin. The plant underwent expansion in 1960 and was later purchased by Oscar Mayer as part of its acquisition of Louis Rich, Inc. in 1979. Oscar Mayer managed the facility for turkey production until divesting it in 1996.

Mount Pleasant facility

The Mount Pleasant location spans 85,000 sqft and specializes in slicing cooked products such as cheese, turkey, chicken, beef, pork, among others. It employs roughly 500 personnel working across three shifts. Adjacent to this plant is a 68,000 sqft Millard Refrigerated Services building linked by conveyor systems enabling immediate transfer of packaged goods into cold storage.

Constructed with a focus on minimizing food safety risks, this plant strives to maintain a pathogen-free environment—a pioneering concept within the meat industry for which patent protection was sought by the company. Situated approximately 50 miles from both West Liberty and Sigourney plants, this separation helps reduce contamination risks associated with raw processing areas.

The facility consists of about 20 distinct processing cells that function independently as meat slicing units. Each cell is outfitted with antimicrobial stainless steel walls integrated into antimicrobial flooring, individual refrigeration systems supplying filtered air under positive pressure at 38°F, and sealed drainage systems sanitized every night.

Fully cooked meat or cheese logs arrive enclosed in impermeable casings; these casings are sanitized using a liquid disinfectant before passing through an infrared pasteurization tunnel designed to eradicate pathogens. Mechanical transfer mechanisms convey products to slicers and sealed packaging stations, thereby minimizing contamination risk by limiting human contact.

Hiring practices emphasize food safety training; prospective employees complete a comprehensive 16-hour program through Iowa State University that includes written examinations prior to employment. Staff working on-site don sealed clean room suits laundered and sealed by Cintas in North Carolina; these suits are replaced each time workers exit slicing cells—resulting in an average usage of five suits per employee daily.

Tremonton, Utah, facility

In 2006, West Liberty Foods revealed its intention to establish a meat-processing plant in Tremonton, Utah. This site will focus exclusively on processing and slicing various meat products, without conducting any slaughtering activities. Construction began in October 2006, with production slated to commence by July 2007. Notably, this plant will be the first in North America to utilize slicing logs for meat processing. The initial setup includes ten slicing cells, enabling an annual output capacity of 150 million pounds, with plans to expand by adding an additional ten cells to double production. Upon reaching full capacity, the facility is projected to employ more than 500 individuals. Nearby, a Millard Refrigerated Services warehouse will offer refrigerated and frozen storage solutions.

West Liberty Foods evaluated potential locations across Utah, Nevada, and Arizona before finalizing Utah as the preferred site. Initially, the company requested tax incentives totaling $5.2 million for a location in Pleasant View; however, construction was delayed due to wetlands on that site. The Utah Department of Community and Economic Development subsequently approved a $2 million tax rebate spread over ten years, contingent on maintaining job quality and the company's commitment to remain in Utah for at least ten years. Although Pleasant View provided further incentives, the state retained these benefits for use if an alternative viable location was identified.

On July 29, 2006, West Liberty Foods officially selected Tremonton as the plant location. The city offered an 80% property tax exemption, estimated to provide a financial advantage of $508,000 over twelve years post-completion. Of the anticipated 500 new jobs, approximately 300 will offer annual wages between $21,500 and $26,875; around 100 positions are expected to have salaries near $37,000.

Bolingbrook, Illinois, facility

West Liberty Foods inaugurated its Bolingbrook plant in Illinois in 2014. By 2016, this facility had achieved ISO certification and attained landfill-free status, demonstrating the company's dedication to integrating sustainable practices within its operational framework.

Awards

West Liberty Foods has received numerous accolades recognizing its operational success and strategic leadership:

• 2001 – Supplier of the Year from Subway
• 2003 – Paul Hill recognized by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
• 2005 – USDA Rural Development Economic Vision Award; Iowa Recycling Association’s Best Business Recycling Program; Subway Dedicated Services Award
• 2006 – Ed Garrett honored as "Executive of the Year" by The National Provisioner; Safety Awards for Mount Pleasant and Sigourney plants from Iowa-Illinois Safety Council
• 2007 – Subway Quality Gold Standard Award; Hormel Spirit of Excellence Award (1998–2002)
• 2008 – Subway Supply Chain Partner Award; Iowa-Illinois Safety Council Safety Award; Food Quality Award
• 2021 – Designated Top Green Provider by Food Logistics

These honors highlight West Liberty Foods’ influence in the market as well as its steadfast commitment to quality and sustainable growth.