Swift Prepared Foods, a subsidiary of leading global food company JBS USA, has opened its newest facility – Principe Foods, which produces high-quality Italian meats and charcuterie. Company executives were joined by local, regional and state leaders as they cut the ribbon on their new facility today in Columbia, Missouri.
“We are excited to welcome Principe Foods to Missouri,” said Governor Mike Parson. “More than 400 companies in the food industry are currently operating in Missouri, and that figure continues to grow thanks to world-class companies like JBS USA and Swift Prepared Foods investing in our state. This facility will provide many new opportunities for the mid-Missouri region, and we look forward to seeing the company succeed for years to come.”
The company invested more than $200 million in the new 325,000 sq. ft. Italian meats and charcuterie production facility. Principe Foods has already created 100 new jobs in the region, with plans to hire 100 to 200 more people over the next year. The company offers extremely competitive wages to attract and retain top talent. Additionally, Principe Foods offers strong benefits and tuition-free community college for team members and their children.
“We are very pleased to celebrate the opening of this state-of-the-art Italian meats facility in Columbia, Missouri,” said Tom Lopez, President, Swift Prepared Foods. “This is the culmination of years of hard work and investment by our team and our partners in Missouri. We are grateful for the support we’ve received up to this point and look forward to the ongoing growth of this facility and the Principe Italia brand.”
Swift Prepared Foods announced plans to build the new facility in Columbia in April 2021 to meet increasing retail and food service demand for Italian meats and charcuterie. The company selected Columbia due to its strategic location, business-friendly environment, and the ability to access raw materials and leverage synergies with existing strategic assets.
“The City of Columbia is incredibly proud to be the home of this new facility,” said Mayor Barbara Buffaloe. “Our community strives to be a great place for everyone to live and work and the many resources we have to offer allow us to attract great partners, like Principe Foods, to achieve this vision. This facility is an investment in our community and adds to our thriving manufacturing environment.”
"We’re excited to see Principe Foods open for business in Boone County,” said Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick. “Principe brings many new opportunities in this state-of-the-art facility and good-paying jobs to Boone County and the mid-Missouri region. We are confident that Principe Foods will be a good community partner and a major employer in Boone County for years to come."
Principe is a part of the Swift Prepared Foods portfolio of products. Swift also recently opened another new facility in Missouri. In May 2021, Swift cut the ribbon on a ready-to-eat, fully cooked bacon production facility in Moberly, Missouri.
“Missouri is a premier location for companies in the food industry,” said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. “When a company selects your state for not just one, but two new major facilities – in two different regions – it’s a testament to the pro-business environment statewide. We are proud to have Principe Foods in Columbia and Swift in Moberly, and we will support their continued growth and innovation at both locations.”
These investments in Missouri are consistent with JBS USA’s long-term strategy to increase its value-added and branded portfolio with innovative, on-trend products. Globally, JBS is a major player in the value-added, Italian meats category with significant production capabilities and recognized brands in Italy, Australia and Brazil.
The Principe Foods facility is located at 5008 Paris Road in Columbia, Missouri.