Allen Harim, Seaford, Del., broke ground on the beginning construction phase of a new $22 million state-of-the-art hatchery in Dagsboro, Del.

The new 70,000 square-foot facility will be built on the company’s 19.84-acre site on Nine Foot Road in Dagsboro. It will have an egg-set capacity of 2.5 million eggs per week. Using water reuse technology, up to 80% of the water used at the hatchery will be recycled.

“This is an exciting moment for this company and a significant investment for our company on Delmarva,” says Joe Moran, president and CEO. “Our no antibiotic ever chicken requires us to have the healthiest and strongest chicks right from the start, and this new hatchery will ensure that. This facility will be energy efficient, environmentally friendly and the most technologically-advanced hatchery on Delmarva.”

Cargill, Minneapolis, first built the Dagsboro hatchery in 1973. The site was later purchased by the former Allen Family Foods in 1988. The 38,000-square-foot facility is being used as the backup hatchery, due to the age of the equipment and the infrastructure. The new building’s footprint will encompass the old structure and require all new equipment and systems throughout.   

The project, which was first announced October 2016, will take about a year to build, and once operational, will close the company’s main hatchery in Seaford.