Conagra Brands is making a significant investment of nearly $30 million to modernize equipment at its facility in Macon, Missouri, where the company produces its Healthy Choice and Marie Callender’s meals. This strategic decision underscores Conagra’s commitment to enhancing production efficiency and product quality.
This expansion will not only upgrade existing infrastructure but also create 26 new jobs, adding to the 340 positions already present at the plant. Such growth exemplifies a robust partnership between Conagra Brands and the local development authority, highlighting the potential for economic uplift in the Macon area.
Specifically, the $29.1 million investment focuses on replacing outdated equipment and enhancing the facility’s food cooling capacities. Key upgrades include new baking ovens and freezers, alongside state-of-the-art equipment for dewatering processes and raw meat inspection. These improvements will allow for an expanded range of products to be manufactured at this location.
“This expansion represents a meaningful investment in both our business and the local community, and we’re proud to continue building our presence here,” stated John Phipps, the manager of Conagra’s Macon facility. He further emphasized the importance of their collaboration with the city, stating, “We value our strong partnership with the city of Macon and look forward to expanding our operations.”
The Missouri Department of Economic Development will support this project by offering undisclosed tax credits and access to capital, reflecting the state’s commitment to fostering local industry.
The planned expansion at the Macon facility comes on the heels of Conagra’s decision to close its pie filling plant in Fennville, Michigan, by the end of June, which will unfortunately impact 85 local jobs. Additionally, last year, Conagra permanently shut down its Birds Eye frozen vegetables plant in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, resulting in the loss of 252 jobs.
In a bid to streamline operations, Conagra announced earlier this month that it would be selling its Chef Boyardee shelf-stable pasta business to Hometown Food Company for $600 million. This deal includes an 820,000 square-foot production facility in Milton, Pennsylvania, and all employees currently working at that plant. Notably, Chef Boyardee’s shelf-stable products generated approximately $450 million in net sales for Conagra in 2024.
Before announcing this divestment, Conagra provided its third-quarter financial results in April, maintaining its guidance across various metrics for 2025. Despite challenges in the market, the maker of popular snack brand Angie’s Boomchickapop expects group-wide organic net sales to decline by around 2%. This follows a year-to-date decrease of 2.8%, bringing total sales to $8.83 billion over the first nine months of the fiscal year.
Furthermore, forecasts indicate an adjusted operating margin of 14.4%, alongside adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.35. This marks a decrease from 16.3% in the same period of 2024, with the margin currently at 14.2%. Adjusted EPS dropped from $2.06 to $1.73, while adjusted operating profit fell 26% to $1.04 billion, and net income decreased by 2% to $896.5 million.
