All successful companies know that their futures depend on providing the quality products customers and consumers expect and deserve. The new Tyson Foods has become a world power in protein because of our strong belief in this premise. The products we produce are second to none in food safety, quality, and variety, which is why the new Tyson Foods, Inc. is setting the pace in feeding the world. Here is a short description of our operating units.

Tyson’s vertical integration gives the company total control of quality, from the egg to the finished product. The parent stock of our birds comes from grandparent stock produced over many generations by Cobb-Vantress, now a wholly-owned subsidiary. On Tyson breeder farms, strict rules and precautions are followed to prevent the spread of avian diseases from other flocks. The eggs are collected, either by hand or conveyor belt, then sent to a Tyson hatchery. At the hatchery, eggs are put into incubators, or setters, to start the growing process. Temperature is controlled to 99.5°F, and humidity is set at 86 percent for the perfect hatching conditions. After 18 days, the eggs are sent from the incubator to the hatcher, where the chicks are inoculated against disease right in the egg. Three days later, the chicks begin to hatch and are treated to prevent respiratory problems. The chicks are carefully placed into Tyson trucks for their trips to Tyson family farms to be grown to processing weight.

Tyson Foods’ approximately 7,600 family farms in 16 states benefit from their relationship with the company. Chicken growing supplies a stable source of income for farms that may otherwise have to endure the ups and downs of crop farming. Tyson birds are raised in large houses that are designed to keep the birds as comfortable as possible. They are automatically fed with feed specially formulated for their age, and nipple drinkers dispense water with a push of a button.

The birds reach processing weight in four to six weeks, depending on the needs of the processing plant in the complex. Tyson has 83 plants in 20 states producing a variety of products ranging from Cornish game hens to boneless/skinless breasts, and from chicken patties to full dinners. Quality and safety are stressed under the watchful eye of USDA inspectors and Tyson Foods' own Quality Assurance Team Members.

After manufacturing, Tyson products are shipped to Tyson Distribution Centers or a similar outside facility for storage until a customer needs them.

Tyson Foods is also the world’s largest supplier of premium beef and pork, as well as a diversified producer of hundreds of consumer-ready food products. Tyson Fresh Meats has more than 60 production sites in North America, joint venture operations in China, Ireland, and Russia, and sales offices throughout the world.

Unlike the vertical integration in our chicken business, beef and pork operations depend upon independent livestock producers to supply our plants. The company’s fresh meats operations are strategically located near large supplies of high quality cattle and hogs. In order to ensure a steady supply of food animals, Tyson Foods maintains an extensive buying network. Approximately 70 cattle buyers and 140 hog buyers make competitive bids on the cattle and hogs that meet the company’s specifications of high quality beef and pork. In fact, the company buys millions of cattle and hogs each year to supply 10 beef plants and six pork plants.

Once livestock are delivered to a fresh meats facility, they are weighed and moved to holding pens for a brief period before being processed. The meat production process includes removal of the hide and internal organs, as well as the splitting of the carcass. After refrigeration, the carcass is moved to the processing operation, where it is cut and trimmed into smaller portions, vacuum-packaged, and boxed for storage and shipment. The process is monitored by government inspectors, as well as our own quality assurance team, to meet strict quality and safety standards.

Tyson Fresh Meats operations produce hundreds of products, from beef loins, chucks, and ground beef to pork loins and hams. Once these products reach the retail and foodservice customer, they are typically further processed or prepared before being sold to the consumer. About one of every three steaks and one of every five pork chops sold in the U.S. come from product produced at a fresh meats plant.

Tyson Fresh Meats Team Members have spent decades perfecting ways to add value to beef and pork products, including increasing the volume of more extensively trimmed and boneless meat cuts, making it easier for customers to prepare the products for the consumer. Our products set the pace by offering pre-packaged, "case-ready" cuts, such as steaks, chops, and roasts, that are ready for the retail grocer to place directly into the meat case. In addition to case-ready beef and pork, we also produce Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) steaks and chops, as well as pre-cooked roasts and meatloaf. Tyson Fresh Meats products also include beef pot roast in gravy, roast beef in brown gravy, seasoned beef meatloaf, beef tips in gravy, maple and brown sugar glazed ham, and pork roast in gravy, all of which can be prepared in a matter of minutes, meeting today’s growing need for convenience.

Providing safe and wholesome food products is just as important at fresh meats plants as it is for poultry operations. More than $100 million has been spent over the past five years to address food safety in fresh meats plants. This includes implementation of the Triple Quality® system, a beef safety program that uses steam vacuums, carcass rinses, and steam pasteurization. We have also contributed more than half a million dollars over the past two years to beef and pork industry projects aimed at reducing foodborne bacteria and increasing consumer education about food safety.

Several of Tyson Foods' business units fall under the "Food Service" umbrella. The Poultry Food Service Unit offers nearly every chicken product a customer could possible desire, while maintaining an exacting focus on safety and quality. The unit offerings include boneless skinless breast meat, IQF chicken, oven roasted chicken, wings and drummies, Cornish hens, tenderloins, school lunch program items, and much more. By going from the freezer to the plate in minutes, foodservice operators are saving time and money on America’s favorite appetizer or light entrée.

Our foodservice folks also offer the world’s best choices in beef and pork products. For example, Bonici® is a leading provider of value-added meats for the pizza industry, offering pepperoni, sausage, beef toppings, sliced deli meats, and pizza crusts and doughs. We also offer hams and cooked bacon through our Tyson® and Wright® brands, as well as cooked roast beef, prime rib, corned beef, pastrami, pot roast, and meat loaf.

Another part of the Food Service Group includes four Mexican Original facilities that produce corn tortillas and chips, taco shells, tostadas, heat-pressed flour tortillas, and nacho chips. This unit also caters to the catering business through its Lady Aster® products, produced at Tyson Foods' Culinary Foods facility in Chicago. These Team Members offer a complete line of handcrafted, upscale entrées that are perfect for catering functions.

Tyson Foods' International Unit, yet another part of the Food Service Group, listens to customers and adapts ways of doing business to accommodate their special needs. Such needs include dual-language packaging, localized seasoning and breading preferences, certified processing to meet religious and local government standards, and portions prepared using local weights and measures. Tyson has beef joint operations in China, Ireland, and Russia. Tyson Foods' Cobb-Vantress subsidiary has joint ventures in Argentina, Brazil, China, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Spain, United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Tyson International also operates Tyson de Mexico, a poultry complex in central Mexico. Plus, Tyson Foods has sales offices throughout the world.

Tyson Foods' Retail Group offers a product line just as diverse as the company's foodservice offerings. Tyson fresh chicken has set the standard for freshness and quality for generations. An example of a family favorite in chicken is Tyson frozen breaded boneless chicken. With no fillers, preservatives, or artificial flavors, Tyson chicken patties, nuggets, tenders, and filets in original and southern style varieties are exactly what consumers want to feed their families. For those who wish more storage time, there's Tyson Individually Fresh Frozen (IFF) chicken, which is naturally marinated, individual pieces that are ice glazed to lock in freshness and prevent freezer burn.

Tyson meal kits are another way to enjoy America's favorite chicken. These fulfilling entrées are ready in only 8 to 12 minutes. Tyson Rock Cornish game hens are as much of a hit at home as they are in America’s finest restaurants. The offerings go on to include stuffed chicken entrées, refrigerated entrées, and much more.

Tyson Retail is also involved in the production of a wide variety of brand name processed meats, including bacon, hot dogs, luncheon meats, hams, and sausage that are sold under the brand names of ITC, Wright Brand, Russer, Jordan’s, Iowa Ham, and others. These products are available in the nation’s leading supermarket chains and club stores.