Seaboard Corporation is a worldwide conglomerate with diversified operations. It is primarily engaged in ocean transportation and agriculture businesses such as pork processing and production in the United States.
History
Seaboard Corporation’s history began in 1918 when it started in the flour business by buying its first mill in Kansas. A year later, the company was able to acquire Imperial Brewery Co., which it then converted to a milling facility for flour. In 1928, Seaboard bought Rodney Milling Co. and all its milling-related assets.
In 1959, Seaboard Corporation became a public company when it merged with an already public company, Hathaway Industries, Incorporated. In 1962, Seaboard then began implementing its strategy of putting flour mills near areas of large populations in both the East and Southeast Coast.
In 1985, Seaboard was able to acquire Elberton Poultry. In the same year, the company started construction on a polypropylene bag facility in Nigeria. In 1987, Seaboard started its shrimp farming business in Honduras. A year later, the company finished construction of its feed mill in Tennessee, USA. This mill was constructed in order to support the company’s poultry operations.
In 1990, Seaboard completed its state-of-the-art poultry facility in Kentucky. In the same year, the company was also able to acquire a pork processing facility in Minnesota. In 2000, Seaboard sold its poultry division to food manufacturing giant ConAgra. Despite some divestitures, the company was still expanding as it continued to acquire several businesses overseas, particularly those engaged in flour, animal feed and corn.
In 2003, Seaboard sold its shrimp businesses in Honduras, as well as its investments in Fjord Seafood. In 2004, the company was able to acquire controlling interest in a grain mill company in Mozambique. A year later, Seaboard was able to acquire bacon processor Daily’s.
Currently, Seaboard Corporation has operations in the U.S. and abroad. In the United States, the company is focused in pork production, as well as pork processing. It is also engaged in ocean transportation. Overseas, the company is engaged in grain processing, generation of electric power, commodity merchandising and sugar production. In the last part of 2010, the company was able to acquire a 50 percent interest in the company Butterball, LLC.
Stats
• Headquarters: Shawnee Mission, Kansas
• Ownership Type: Public
• No. of Employees: 10,865 (April 2011)
• Geography: worldwide
• Demography: processed pork consumers, foodservice operators
Brands
Seaboard Foods®, Butterball®
Important links
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