Allen Harim, a leading producer and processor of chicken on Delmarva, today officially closed its processing plant in Cordova, Maryland, consolidating its processing operations in Harbeson, Delaware.
The company had announced the closure and notified employees in March. Many opted to remain with the company and will be working in other Allen Harim facilities. Human Resources has worked closely with state and local officials to find other employment opportunities, and a majority of those affected have found other jobs in the area. About 10 employees will stay on at Cordova monitoring the facility until it is sold.
As discussed at the time of the initial announcement in March, a combination of factors contributed to the decision, including the age of the facility, a shift in the company's product mix and a desire to improve the company's competitive position in order to assure greater efficiency.
The Cordova processing facility was built in 1945 by Cordova Poultry Company and purchased by the former Allen Family Foods in 1971. It was later owned by Esskay, and then leased to Ralston-Purina. In the last two decades, it has processed about 600,000 chickens a week, primarily rotisserie chicken and whole bird packaging, for markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
About Allen Harim Foods, LLC
Allen Harim combines an approach to growing the healthiest chicken possible with a commitment to implementing the latest technology for the continuous improvement of all processes. Headquartered in Seaford, Delaware, the company operates a chicken processing facility in Harbeson, Delaware; breeding operations in Liberty, North Carolina; a hatchery in Dagsboro, Delaware, and a hatchery and feed mill in Seaford. The company employs 1,700 people in the United States, as well as more than 230 independent growers and 20 company farms across Delmarva.
Source: Allen Harim
