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.

Arkansas Company’s “Out of this World” Success: Ozark Integrated Circuits

April 17, 2018

Opportunities for technology businesses come in all shapes and sizes and, sometimes, from unexpected sources. Ozark Integrated Circuits is one of the many cutting-edge tech startups in Northwest Arkansas. Spun out of research by University of Arkansas Distinguished Professor Alan Mantooth and supported by the National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), it’s among only a few companies in the nation able to create complex integrated circuits and electronic systems that can survive in extreme environments.

In this case, “extreme environments” means incredibly high and low temperatures — from the freezing point of gasoline (-58°F) to the melting point of aluminum (1,221°F) — along with extreme humidity, vibration, high voltage, radiation, etc. Needless to say, these bits of tech aren’t for everyday use.

Indeed, Ozark Integrated Circuits has won contracts from NASA to help them develop, among other things, components for an ultraviolet imager to study the environment on Venus.

NASA and the United States Air Force are tapping into Arkansas’ burgeoning tech talent, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has been privileged to be part of the process.

Matt Francis, CEO of Ozark Integrated Circuits said, “A very important institution has been the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. They’ve been hugely helpful in making connections for us between other companies in Arkansas, helping us fit inside the ecosystem of the state.”

With the help of AEDC’s Technology Development Program investments and the Technology Transfer Assistance Grant Program, Ozark Integrated Circuits has acquired more than 10 Small Business Innovation Research grants. And the company’s connection to the Arkansas Research & Technology Park has helped them secure a talented workforce.

To learn more about Ozark Integrated Circuit’s impressive work and their contributions to the tech industry in Arkansas, download our case study below.