Tyson Foods, Inc., Springdale, Ark., acquired Tecumseh Poultry LLC, Waverly, Neb., which the air-chilled Smart Chicken brand.

Tecumseh Poultry produces air-chilled, fresh chicken, as well as deli-style chicken and a variety of chicken sausages.

“Consumers want choices. More and more consumers want options for fresh, organic food that fits their lifestyles,” says Eric Schwartz, chief marketing officer of poultry for Tyson Foods. “The Smart Chicken brand is a leader in this key organic category, and the category’s growth makes this acquisition a strategic fit for Tyson Foods.”

The company’s operations include two plants in Waverly and Tecumseh, Neb., as well as live operations. Tyson Foods currently plans to operate Tecumseh Poultry as a separate, wholly owned subsidiary, and expects to retain its approximately 600 team members, including operations staff, sales teams and management.

“We’ve spent 18 years working to perfect our ability to produce the highest-quality fresh chicken in the U.S. We’re very proud of that, and it’s not going to change,” says Kevin Siebert, president of Tecumseh. “Tyson Foods brings to the Smart Chicken brand and the rest of our product lines the resources to make us even stronger.”  

“This is a well-run company with a solid customer base that’s earned consumer loyalty. We’re excited for Tecumseh to continue to produce quality chicken while providing the business the scale and resources it needs to continue growing,” says Doug Ramsey, group president of poultry for Tyson Foods. “Customers should continue to work with existing contacts.”