Major expansion underway at egg plant

Since beginning operations at its Berryville plant in April 2016, Mid-States Specialty Eggs has been “very, very blessed,” plant manager Ted Hostetler said Monday, July 15.

So much so, in fact, that the plant is in the middle of an expansion project that will more than double the size of its current building in the Berryville Industrial Park. The current plant covers 57,000 square feet, with the expansion adding another 76,200 square feet.

“We’re going to add another grading machine and more warehouse and more cooler space,” Hostetler said.

While the plant’s current grader has 18 lanes, the new machine — which is being shipped from the Netherlands — will have 28, Hostetler said.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” Hostetler said. “It will a little more than double our capacity.”

Drivers on local highways have noticed a steady stream of dump trucks hauling fill to the expansion site.

“Obviously, we’ve been causing a ruckus,” Hostetler said. “I’ve heard about all the dump trucks. Today is almost the last day.”

Hostetler said the new grading machine is scheduled to arrive in November.

“We have kind of a deadline, so it’s really a push,” he said. “Our machine’s showing up the week of Thanksgiving, and we need a place to unload it.”

Hostetler said he hopes the expansion will be operational in the first two months of 2025.

“End of January is the goal,” he said.

Initially, the plant will add one additional shift, Hostetler said.

“Right away, it’ll add 25 to 30 jobs real quick and then probably double that on down the road,” he said.