If you were a chicken, you would, too, considering Sanderson Farms Inc.’s production output is over 2 billion pounds a year. Sanderson Farms is a producer, processor, marketer, and distributor of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. Their 2007 sales were over $1B in products sold under the Sanderson Farms brand name.

With headquarters in Laurel, Mississippi, Sanderson Farms Inc. trades on NASDAQ as part of the Meat Products industry. Their markets are in the southeastern, southwestern, and western United States. They sell their products to retailers, distributors, and food operators in these locations. Sanderson Farms operates eight poultry processing complexes situated in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Georgia.

The company began in 1947 as a general feed and seed business. In 1951, D.R. Sanderson, Sr., D.R. Sanderson, Jr., and Joe Frank Sanderson organized a partnership under the name of “Sanderson Brothers”. In ensuing years, they added poultry production to the feed and seed business. They incorporated in 1955 and started on a path to greater growth.

Today, Sanderson Farms Inc.’s operations include over 10,000 employees and over 700 independent growers. They ship their Fresh Chill Pack Chickens to their U.S. markets as well as international ones. They now rank as the fourth largest poultry producer in the United States. Sanderson Farms also ships whole birds, boneless chickens, and chicken parts.

The company’s foods division sells over 100 processed and prepared frozen entrees and other specialty food products. These include battered, breaded, and individually frozen chicken items. This division has the capacity to produce 555,000 pounds of entrees and 1,000,000 pounds of processed chicken weekly.

Publicly held since 1987, Sanderson Farms seeks only the best quality chickens for their products. Their commitment to their customers and shareholders means they will strive to serve up only the best chicken products to ensure satisfaction for both.

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