JBS USA announced an agreement in August 2025 to purchase a former Hy-Vee facility in Ankeny, Iowa, and invest $100 million to acquire and enhance it. The company plans to make fully cooked, ready-to-eat bacon and sausage there. JBS forecast operations by mid-2026 and about 400 jobs once all project phases are complete; those were projections, not confirmation that production began.
What will JBS make at the Ankeny facility?
JBS plans to convert the 186,000-square-foot site into a plant producing fully cooked bacon and sausage. The company described it as the largest ready-to-eat bacon and sausage plant in its U.S. portfolio. These are JBS’s descriptions of the facility’s planned use and relative scale, not independently verified production or capacity figures. JBS USA’s August 13, 2025 announcement
What did JBS announce about the purchase and investment?
JBS USA said it had agreed to purchase the former Hy-Vee production facility in Ankeny and described a $100 million investment to purchase and enhance the site. The company’s announcement said the transaction was subject to customary closing conditions. JBS’s later investment page says it purchased the facility.
JBS USA CEO Wesley Batista Filho said the announcement aligned with the company’s strategy of offering more value-added and prepared foods. JBS Prepared Foods’ Rick Foster said the site would expand the prepared-foods business and benefit from regional supply and operational synergies. Those statements describe the company’s rationale; they do not establish the plant’s eventual output or performance.
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When was the plant expected to open, and how many jobs were forecast?
At the time of the August 2025 announcement, JBS expected operations to begin by mid-2026, following initial capital investment and construction. It projected approximately 400 jobs when all phases were complete. Both figures were company forecasts, not confirmed outcomes. JBS’s announcement and subsequent investment page do not establish that commercial production began by the projected date.
Is the Ankeny plant operating now?
The available company material establishes the purchase and planned project, but does not confirm an actual opening or commercial production date. Therefore, it is not accurate to state on this evidence alone that the facility is already operating. A current JBS update would be needed to verify its status.
Rank #2
- Includes one 2.52 oz. package of HORMEL BLACK LABEL Fully Cooked Bacon.
- Fully cooked, thick slices ready to eat immediately
- Quality cuts of pork are cut and rubbed with select seasonings
- Each serving has 5 g of protein and 70 calories
- Fully cooked, so it doesn't require refrigeration until after opening
How does the Ankeny project differ from JBS’s other Iowa investment?
Ankeny is the planned ready-to-eat bacon and sausage project. A separate JBS project in Perry, Iowa, described in the company’s SEC filing, concerns a fresh sausage facility and a different investment. The projects should not be combined when describing Ankeny’s products, investment, or schedule. JBS USA’s SEC-filed announcement
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Ready-to-eat bacon made with premium cuts of meat; Always 100% natural, minimally processed, no artificial ingredients.
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- Every 2-slice serving of precooked bacon strips contains 6g protein and 70 calories; Gluten free and no MSG added
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- Contains 1, 2.5-ounce package of HORMEL, NATURAL CHOICE Original Fully-Cooked Uncured Bacon; Packaged for freshness and great taste
Rank #4
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Rank #3
- Includes one 10.5 oz package of HORMEL BLACK LABEL Fully Cooked Bacon
- Fully cooked, thick slices ready to eat immediately
- Quality cuts of pork are cut and rubbed with select seasonings
- Each serving has 5 g of protein and 80 calories
- Fully cooked, doesn't require refrigeration until after opening
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