A Look Back: Food Production Company A Big Win For Missouri Economic Development

• December 15, 2016

All month long Missouri Partnership is taking a look back at 31 of Missouri’s biggest stories in economic development from the past year. Today we are taking a look at Vital Farms’ expansion into Springfield, Missouri.

On September 28, Vital Farms, the largest pasture-raised egg producer in the U.S., broke ground on their new 82,140 sq. ft. facility in Springfield, Missouri. The expansion created 50 new jobs for the region, and the company plans to create even more in the future.

“Vital Farms’ expansion underscores Missouri’s importance for food suppliers operating on a national scale,” said Mike Downing, Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. “Agriculture is a long-standing and fundamental part of Missouri’s economy, and I look forward to seeing another sustainable food company such as Vital Farms grow and thrive in the Show-Me State.”

The company chose to expand in the Springfield region due to its central location and built-in infrastructure

Vital Farms was founded in 2007 with a single farm. The company has grown to encompass a network of more than 100 independent small family farms that focus on humane animal welfare and sustainable farming, providing at least 108 sq. ft. of outdoor pasture per chicken.