PERRY, Ga. — A new jerky manufacturing plant is headed to Houston County and bringing several hundred jobs with it.
At an economic announcement Tuesday, Wisconsin-based snack company Jack Link’s said they’re planning to invest $450 million in building a new plant in Perry. With it will come 800 new jobs.
The company’s president of North America, Kevin McAdams, spoke briefly about why they picked the region for its latest expansion – dubbed ‘Project Birdcage.’
McAdams says officials with the company scouted out around 30 locations and Perry was ultimately the city that landed the new plant because they liked the community, pro-business environment, quality of the city’s workforce, and overall culture.
“Perry is where Georgia comes together, and it’s happening today,” said USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue. He says when he heard about Project Birdcage, he told Georgia leaders that the state had to have Jack Links here, adding it’s a great company and family.
The new facility is expected to open at a 120-acre site on 720 Perry Parkway in late 2023 and is part of a larger expansion of the Jack Link’s brand. McAdams says they’re also doubling their facility in Alpena, South Dakota.
“When I ran for governor, I promised to bring opportunities to all parts of our state, especially the rural communities that have been overlooked in the past," said Governor Kemp. "Today is the latest fruit of our hard labor. Thanks to Jack Link's, 800 quality jobs and $450 million in investment from a great, family-owned company are on their way to this region. By taking advantage of the state’s award-winning workforce program, Quick Start, I am confident that Jack Link’s will find success here as they work to meet consumer demand and quickly fill the available positions with hardworking Georgians."
New jobs will include positions in management, production, quality control, maintenance, engineering, and office support. To learn more about working for Jack Link’s, click here.