THOMASVILLE — A Thomasville meat-packaging business is expanding, and attempts are underway to hire an additional 200 people.

FPL Foods has been planning the expansion for two years, said Shelley Zorn, Thomasville Payroll Development Authority (PDA) executive director.

“They have really ramped up,” Zorn said.

The business was closed for a while, reopened two and a half years ago and hired 100 people.

Attempts to hire 200 more employees have been underway for a year, Zorn said. FPL Foods will expand the building and parking lot.

FPL Foods — on Roseway Drive — packages meat that comes from Augusta, the location of the company’s home office. The meat, consisting of roasts, ground beef and steaks, is cut and packaged at the Thomasville plant.

Nearby on Roseway is a Walmart facility that also packages meat. Thomasville’s plant is Walmart’s only meat-packing facility in the United States. The Thomasville facility employs 400.

Zorn said the meat Walmart packages comes from Texas and the Midwest.

Walmart provides FPL Foods’ meat, building, equipment. FPL Foods supplies employees, Zorn said.

“It’s a partnership,” Zorn said, adding that Walmart meat is processed by FPL Foods.

 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820