Pork processor Moon Ridge Foods has opened its new pork processing plant in Pleasant Hope in the US state of Missouri.
Operations in the pork processing plant are scheduled to start in mid-September this year. The plant will be Moon Ridge’s flagship processing facility.
Last month, the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) had stated that the pork processing plant would create 160 new jobs. It stated that the company is expected to put an investment of $54m in the next couple of years.
The 11,000ft2 plant can process around 600,000 hogs annually as reported by BuffaloReflex.com.
Moon Ridge Foods co-founder and CEO Russ Kremer has revealed that the plant uses a latest humane technology termed as the ‘carbon dioxide stun method’.
Traditionally most plants have been using the electric stun method which the company says is affecting the meat quality.
Kremer has been quoted by the publication as saying: “With this system as a whole, our goal is for the animals’ safety, to eliminate all fear, stress and pain.
“And when you do that with an animal, the result is you have a calm animal. You give them dignity even at the end in death, and the result is the meat is better because they aren’t stressed.”
The meat processing company will export about 30% of its pork production to new markets in Asia.
Moon Ridge was offered a strategic economic incentive package by the DED on a condition that it commits to the agreed job creation criteria.
A DED statement read that the pork processor is the first in the country to use snap chilling technology which will improve shelf life, quality and freshness of pork.
In addition, it said that Moon Ridge plant would use renewable energy for its production.
