Tyson Foods history

On April 10, 1946, John has a load of Andy Christy’s New Hampshire Reds delivered by airplane to Fayetteville, a first for Northwest Arkansas.

John incorporates his growing business as Tyson Feed and Hatchery, Inc., in 1947.

People were eating four times as much chicken as they did in 1950.

Don Tyson joined his father in the business in 1952, and the company began to expand its production facilities.

1957: The company's first processing plant opens on the north side of Springdale.

At a final cost of $90,000, the Randall Road plant opens in 1958, completing the vertical integration of the company.

Like Tollett, Wray was another college classmate of Tyson's and had joined the firm in 1961.

At that time, processors customarily hired farmers to raise their chickens; Tyson and the others had been accused of "boycotting and blacklisting" association members in 1962.

In 1963 the company went public and changed its name to Tyson's Foods, Inc.

1966: The founder's son, Don, becomes president of the company.

In 1967, despite a 37 percent gain in sales, Tyson lost more than a dollar per share in earnings.

In 1968, Tyson went to court with two other processors when an Agriculture Department officer alleged that the processors had discriminated against Arkansas chicken farmers who were members of an association of poultry farmers.

In 1969 it purchased Prospect Farms, Inc., which became a precooked chicken division.

In 1971, after a period of growth and diversification, the company's name was changed to Tyson Foods.

1972 was a shakeout year in the poultry business, and several large processors sold out to those with better prospects of survival, easing competition.

In 1973, Tyson bought Cassady Broiler Company, another small poultry concern, and in the next year acquired Vantress Pedigree, Inc.

1977: Tyson becomes the nation's largest hog producer.

In 1978, Tyson acquired the rest of Wilson Foods Corporation.

In addition to the chicken patty it sold chicken hot dogs and bologna, just a few of the 24 specialty products it had developed by 1979.

In 1980 Tyson introduced a Chick 'n Quick line, which offered easy-to-prepare chicken portions.

1982: Tyson debuts on the Fortune 500.

In 1983, Tyson Foods acquires Mexican Original, Inc., a flour and corn tortilla processing plant in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The company acquired Lane Processing Inc., a closely held poultry-processing firm that had been bankrupt since 1984.

In 1986, The Wall Street Transcript named Don Tyson the gold award winner in the meat and poultry industry.

That year Tyson also bought a controlling interest in Trasgo, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican joint venture started in 1988.

Sales rise 51 percent from $2.5 billion in 1989 to $3.8 billion.

In 1990, for the eighth consecutive year, the company reports record sales and earnings.

By 1991, the company’s international sales offices include Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada.

1992: Tyson goes into the seafood business with the purchase of Arctic Alaska Fisheries, Inc., and Louis Kemp Seafood.

Also in 1994, Tyson acquired Culinary Foods, Inc., a maker of specialty frozen foods mostly for the foodservice market, and Gorges Foodservice, Inc., a further processor of beef for the foodservice market.

An important era for Tyson ended in April 1995 when Don Tyson retired as chairman, denying that the firm's recent controversies had prompted the move.

Warner, Melanie. "Tough Times for the Chicken King." Fortune, October 28, 1996.

In 1997 Tyson took the very significant step of purchasing Hudson Foods, Inc., the fifth-largest producer of chickens in the United States

In 1998, Tyson closed a laying-hen-processing plant in Bloomer, Arkansas, and sold off a turkey processing plant in Minnesota.

In 1999, Tyson sold its seafood and pork groups.

Year 2000 net income fell to $151 million, from the previous year's $230 million.

Tyson's mid-year profits jumped to a sixfold increase, raising net income to $107 million, compared to 2001.

The Discovery Center is completed at the Springdale headquarters in 2007.

In 2010, Tyson Foods marks its tenth year as a partner with Share Our Strength, donating more than 76 million pounds of products to hunger and disaster relief.

In August 2014, Tyson Foods, Inc., completes its acquisition of The Hillshire Brands Company, resulting in a company with more than $40 billion in annual sales and a diverse portfolio including brands such as Tyson®, Wright®, Jimmy Dean®, Ball Park®, State Fair®, and Hillshire Farm®.

In April 2017, Tyson Foods announces the acquisition of AdvancePierre Foods.

In November 2018, Tyson Foods completes acquisition of Keystone Foods, a leading supplier of chicken, beef, fish and pork to the growing global foodservice industry.

In February 2019, Tyson Foods announces an agreement to acquire Thai and European Operations from BRF S.A., including processing facilities in Thailand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, to expand offerings of value-added protein in global markets.