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Foster Farms history
Foster Farms company history timeline
The vision and passion for quality shared by Max and Verda in 1939 remain the legacy of every Foster Farms employee today.
Their hard work—Verda tending the chicks and Max working out of his “office” at the back of the barn—steadily grew their little business. It was 1939 and the couple borrowed $1,000 against a life insurance policy in order to purchase a few hundred chicks for their small farm in Modesto, California.
After buying a second farm, the company acquired a feed mill in 1950.
Expansion in California: 1959-87
Foster Farms embraced this trend in 1959 when it bought a processing plant in Livingston, California.
Under his guidance, Foster Farms acquired a distribution and sales center in El Monte, California, in 1973.
In 1982, the company purchased the assets of The Grange Company and its subsidiary, Valchris Poultry.
In 1982, McDonald’s introduced a new product—nuggets of boneless, deep-fried chicken that came with a dipping sauce.
Britton, Charles, “Zacky Farms … Is No Turkey,” Southern California Business, November 1, 1987.
Expansion into Oregon and Washington: 1987-98
Foster Farms had first ventured into the Northwest in 1987, when it acquired Fircrest Farms.
In fact, a company spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle on September 29, 1988, that “the salmonella scare indirectly boosted Foster sales, because consumers became pickier about the chickens they bought.”
Most importantly, Foster Farms acquired a turkey processing plant in Fresno, California, from Roxford Foods in November 1989.
Foster Farms subsequently launched a sales promotion aimed at Latinos in 1990.
In 1994, Foster Farms made a more aggressive move into the markets of the Northwest when it purchased Lynden Farms for an estimated $8.2 million.
Lindblom, Mike, “Small Town Likes Its Huge Chicken Plant,” Daily News, September 2, 1996.
By the close of 1998, Foster Farms processed about 130 million pounds of poultry at its Northwest facilities.
1998: Company opens new processing plant in Kelso, Washington.
As the Modesto Bee noted on October 28, 1999, in what seemed a perfect understatement, “Foster Farms’ presence in the industry and the West has been increasing in recent years.”
Although Tom Foster died in 1999, brother George remained active in the company, as did CEO Bob Fox.
In 1999, Foster Farms acquired Butterball Turkey Co.’s turkey processing plant and feed mill in Turlock, California, along with a hatchery in Fresno, California.
"Foster Poultry Farms ." International Directory of Company Histories. . Retrieved June 21, 2022 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/foster-poultry-farms
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Foster Farms competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Foods | 1935 | $53.3B | 139,000 | 570 |
| Quaker Oats | 1877 | $3.8B | 10,000 | - |
| Dairy Farmers of America | 1967 | $13.5B | 18,000 | 1,016 |
| Darigold | 1918 | $2.3B | 1,240 | 72 |
| Western Sugar Cooperative | 1901 | $260.0M | 650 | 31 |
| Whole Foods Market | 1978 | $16.0B | 91,000 | 1,288 |
| Organic Valley | 1988 | $1.2B | 950 | - |
| Kemps | 1914 | $410.0M | 1,126 | 28 |
| Blue Bell Creameries | 1907 | $500.0M | 1,000 | - |
| Big Heart Pet Brands | 1916 | $2.2B | 7,500 | - |
Foster Farms history FAQs
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Foster Farms may also be known as or be related to Foster Farms and Foster Farms LLC.