Tyson Foods Buys Smart Chicken Owner, Operations In Tecumseh, Waverly

Smart Chicken, the southeast Nebraska success story, has a new owner.

Tyson Foods, the U.S.'s largest meatpacker, announced Monday afternoon that it has bought Tecumseh Farms, the company that owns the air-chilled chicken brand.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed, but Tyson said it plans to operate Smart Chicken as a wholly owned subsidiary and retain its staff of about 600 people at plants in Tecumseh and Waverly, as well as live-chicken operations in southeast Nebraska.

“Consumers want choices. More and more consumers want options for fresh, organic food that fits their lifestyles,” Eric Schwartz, chief marketing officer of poultry for Tyson Foods, said in a news release. “The Smart Chicken brand is a leader in this key organic category, and the category’s growth makes this acquisition a strategic fit for Tyson Foods.”