Tyson Foods originated in 1935 when founder John W. Tyson started hauling chickens from Springdale to markets in Kansas City and St. Louis. He later expanded his business by producing and selling baby chicks and feed to farmers, and in October 1947, he established Tyson Feed and Hatchery, Inc. The company entered the chicken processing business in 1958 after building its first plant in Springdale, Arkansas.
The company changed its name to Tyson’s Foods, Inc., in 1963, the same year it had its first public offering of common stock and acquired Garrett Poultry, a poultry processing plant, feed mill, and hatchery in Rogers, Arkansas.
Don Tyson assumed the leadership of the company in 1967, after his father died in an automobile-train accident. Under Don’s leadership, the company’s poultry business grew rapidly through a series of acquisitions, including the purchase of such companies as Holly Farms and Hudson Foods. These strategic acquisitions made the company, which was renamed Tyson Foods, Inc., in 1972, the nation’s leading poultry company.
Don’s son, John H. Tyson, became chairman of the board in 1998 and chief executive officer in 2000. Under his leadership, the company initiated another major acquisition in 2001, when Tyson Foods bought IBP, inc., the world’s largest supplier of beef and pork.
In 2007, Tyson Foods entered into a joint venture with Cactus Feeders, Inc., and Cresud S.A.C.I.F.yA to create the first vertically integrated beef operation in Argentina and announced the creation of Dynamic Fuels LLC, a 50-50 joint venture with Syntroleum Corporation to produce synthetic fuels made from by-product fats, greases, and oils to target the renewable diesel markets. In 2008, Tyson Foods entered the poultry business in South America by acquiring three chicken companies in southern Brazil.
Today, Tyson Foods [NYSE: TSN] with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef, and pork; the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500; and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and services to customers throughout the United States and more than 90 countries. The company has approximately 117,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world.
In fiscal year 2009, Tyson Foods represented 20 percent of U.S. chicken production, 22 percent of U.S. beef production, and 18 percent of U.S. pork production. In fiscal 2009, the company’s average weekly production included 41.4 million chickens, approximately 139,400 cattle, and 393,300 hogs. The company generated total sales of approximately $26.7 billion in fiscal 2009. This includes $3.4 billion in international sales.
Through its
Core Values,
Code of Conduct, and
Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers, and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment, and serve as stewards of the animals, land, and environment entrusted to it.
Tyson Foods’ vision is “to be the world’s first choice for protein solutions while maximizing shareholder value, living our Core Values, and fostering a fun place to work.” The company’s mission is to produce and market trusted, quality food products that fit today’s changing lifestyles and to attract, reward, and retain the best people in the food industry.
Want To Know More?
- You can learn more about Tyson Foods, its history, and its operations in the Tyson Fact Book, which is available by clicking on http://ir.tyson.com.
- Learn more about our major shareholders in our proxy statement available through our Investor Relations Web site at http://ir.tyson.com.
- If you are interested in Tyson Foods' financial performance, we invite you to review our 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K available through our Investor Relations Web site at http://ir.tyson.com.