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Food Processing Industry in Arkansas

 

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.

food and beverage companies in arkansas

Food & Beverage Industry Blog Posts

Is Future Fit The Right Fit For You?

 January 29, 2019

A recent study by the Manufacturing Institute showed that nationally 80% of manufacturers report a moderate or serious shortage of qualified applicants for skilled and highly skilled production positions. To combat this growing problem, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) collaborated with 10 companies in western Arkansas to launch a pilot skills gap workforce program called Future Fit. Through work with these companies, Future Fit has identified job roles and required skills that are needed to fill entry-level positions. Participants of Future Fit will complete a training program that will prepare them for entry level employment with these companies. The first course will take approximately 120 hours of combined hands on and on-line training. Two additional courses are under development and will be ready later this month.

Future Fit is designed to accommodate a diverse group of people; high school graduates that do not plan to enroll in college, military veterans, unemployed or underemployed, and non-violent offenders released by law enforcement. There will be no enrollment cost to qualified students during the initial pilot program. Applicants must have a High School Diploma or a GED and have earned a Bronze level ACT National Career Readiness Certificate as minimum qualification to enroll. As we monitor the Future Fit pilot program, AEDC plans to expand it to the entire state with industry-specific training for each region.  

Knowing that manufacturing has been one of Arkansas’ top industries for years, AEDC closely monitors the state of the industry and aims to support employers. The Future Fit program is a direct effort to help Arkansas manufacturers continue to grow and employ a skilled workforce. A job in the manufacturing industry is one of the most stable and secure jobs. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average tenure of workers in manufacturing jobs is the highest among all private sector industries at 9.1 years. The turnover rate is also one of the lowest at 2.3%.  Not only are these jobs stable, but they are also great paying jobs. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average manufacturing worker in the United States earned $81,289 (including pay and benefits) compared to $63,830 earned by other industries. Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute project that over the next decade, more than 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will be open due to the retirement of baby boomers and the continued strength of the economy.  However, Arkansas manufacturing companies are having trouble filling these positions.

AEDC conducted more than 1,800 face-to-face meetings with local Arkansas companies and found approximately 10,000 unfilled jobs. Of those unfilled jobs, 26.2 percent require no formal education and 52.5 percent require high school diploma or GED. The Future Fit program will help place qualified individuals directly into well-paying jobs with participating companies throughout Arkansas.