Arkansas has an abundance of resources to help food processing companies succeed. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission works directly with food processing companies looking to start-up, expand or relocate. In addition, we assist companies with finding the best incentives so companies are able to make money quickly and efficiently.

There were 522 food and beverage companies in Arkansas at the end of 2022. These companies employed 55,130 people. Arkansas is home to Tyson Foods and numerous other food processing facilities, including Nestle, JBS USA, Kraft Heinz, Mars Inc., Cargill Inc., Hormel Foods Corp, Riceland Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, ConAgra Brands Inc., Land O’ Frost and Frito-Lay, Inc.

Arkansas has the 5th largest percentage of food processing workers in the United States. The growth rate of the food and beverage industry from 2017 to 2022 was 6 percent in Arkansas.

The food processing industry is booming in Arkansas and continues to grow exponentially. Eight of the top 10 food and beverage companies by revenue in the world have manufacturing facilities in the state.

Arkansas is meeting the workforce needs for food processing companies. The state now has the second-largest number of food processing workers in the US and Arkansas has responded to industry growth by modernizing the workforce.

Booming: The State of Technology in Arkansas

April 11, 2018

The time to consider Arkansas the place to be for established tech companies and new opportunities for technology businesses is now. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs are growing faster in Arkansas than the national average. Arkansas has some of the best small cities for startup funding and an overall pro-business environment.

Our new Tech Industry Report provides a detailed look at the technology landscape in Arkansas and demonstrates how tech companies and startups of all sizes and varieties are finding success in the state.

In it, you will find an overview of the state’s tech workforce and education reform, the most recent industry investments, resources helpful for existing and aspiring startups in Arkansas, as well as the advantages and business incentives for tech companies locating in Arkansas.

Here are just a few highlights from the report, which you can download below.

• Every week, Acxiom powers more than 1 trillion transactions for more than 7,000 global clients.
• The Arkansas Research & Technology Park has had an economic impact of nearly $700 million.
• The Venture Center FinTech Accelerator program in Little Rock is the only accelerator partnered with FIS™ and their 20,000 financial institution customers across 130 countries.
• Arkansas has the seventh-lowest cost of doing business in the nation.
• Arkansas offers business incentives ranging from tax refunds and rebates, to payroll rebates and community grants.