Tyson Completes Plant Expansion to Increase Cocktail Sausage Capacity

May 5, 2023

$83 million addition at the Claryville, Ky., plant is expected to increase production of cocktail sausages by 50%.

'Making lil' smokies with rosemary and sage this morning'

Tyson Foods has completed an $83 million, 15,000-sq.-ft. expansion of its Claryville, Ky., plant to meet high customer demand for Hillshire Farm-branded products. The expansion adds capacity in cocktail sausage manufacturing and is expected to increase production by 50%.

The company’s two plants in Claryville currently produce 130 million pounds of hot dogs, sliced meats and 70% of the world’s cocktail sausages, making Claryville the “Cocktail Sausage Capital of the World.”

The facility employs more than 750 team members and produces more than 120 million pounds of protein yearly. The Claryville plant has been operating since 1984 and producing cocktail sausages since 1991.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.