Phenix City, Ala.— AlaTrade, a leading poultry processor with facilities in Albertville, Boaz, and Phenix City, Alabama, is thrilled to announce the launch of its newly engineered Chicken Paw Heat-Treating Project at the Phenix City plant. Official production is set to begin on September 2, 2024. This major development is expected to drive company growth and deliver substantial benefits to both the regional and national economies.
AlaTrade has invested approximately $2.8 million in time, resources, and capital since the project began on May 3, 2024, to tap into the burgeoning international market for chicken paws, particularly in China. This strategic initiative enables AlaTrade to leverage the U.S. poultry industry’s capacity to meet China’s rising demand for chicken paws, turning this opportunity into a substantial financial benefit with this newly established heat-treating line.
The Phenix City facility has been equipped with state-of-the-art technology designed to meet rigorous USDA guidelines and international food safety standards. Modifications to the infrastructure of the facility have been made in support of this endeavor. This process will enable AlaTrade to thermally treat chicken paws to a level suitable for export, ensuring compliance with Chinese regulations and expanding market access for U.S. poultry products.
The Phenix City plant’s inauguration of Chicken Paw Heat-Treating is a joint effort between AlaTrade, Sure Good Foods, and Spice Lady. After AlaTrade thermally treats the chicken paws, Sure Good Foods provides the expertise on international food trade to ensure all safety standards are met, and Spice Lady will be handling the sale of the finished product in China.
“This paw heat-treating line provides an additional anchor for our largest facility,” said Josh Whitley, AlaTrade President. “We are in a period of change and growth in Phenix City and thrilled to be adding this process and partnering with Sure Good Foods to do it.” The transformation of the Phenix City plant enhances AlaTrade product offerings and creates substantial economic benefits for the local community and the broader Alabama poultry industry. “We are grateful to Shaun Culligan, Phenix City Economic Development Manager, who quickly advocated for assistance through a tax abatement to help make this project happen,” stated Whitley.
This project highlights the critical role that AlaTrade plays in the Alabama poultry industry. “Poultry integrators from the surrounding area will be bulk packing paws for shipment to AlaTrade’s Phenix City facility for heat treating,” explained Whitley. “Upon treatment, the paws will be packed for export and shipped to a local cold storage for blast freezing before being shipped by container to China.” AlaTrade Sales Representative Duane Rhodes added, “By processing chicken paws for international markets, we’re not only enhancing our own operations but also supporting multiple facets of the local economy, from raw material suppliers to transportation and packaging services.” The entire process has an estimated volume of more than 360,000 pounds weekly or over 20 million pounds of finished product per year. In addition to supporting the Alabama poultry industry directly, this venture created approximately 28 new jobs at the Phenix City plant.
In a testament to AlaTrade’s ingenuity to think outside the box, this new process signifies the company’s commitment to invest and grow in ways that provide services to solve customer needs and meet market demands. As production ramps up, the Phenix City plant will continue to play a crucial role in strengthening AlaTrade’s position in the global market and contributing to the economic vitality of Alabama.