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Cargill Meat Solutions Sells Fresno, California, Beef Plant to Central Valley Meat

May 8, 2024

Hanford, Calif.-based meat processor plans to retain as many of the 880 workers at the plant as possible after the deal.

Andy Hanacek

Central Valley Meat, a Hanford, Calif.-based meat processor, has purchased the Fresno, Calif., beef processing plant owned by Cargill Meat Solutions, according to local news outlets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Brian Coelho, CEO of Central Valley Meat, said in the story that the plant will strengthen the company’s offerings in alignment with its long-term vision.

Central Valley Meat plans to retain as many of the reported 880 workers at the Fresno plant, the news outlet said, which was a goal of Cargill in completing the deal as well. Central Valley Meat Holding Co. currently employs more than 2,000 people.

Central Valley Meat purchased the beef operations of Harris Farms, along with the Harris Ranch brand, feedlot operations and the company’s processing plant in Selma, Calif., in 2019, in a move that took some in the industry by surprise at the time.

The deal does not include the ground beef and patties manufacturing plant south of Fresno.

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.