Sanderson Farms
A major American poultry producer that operated from 1947 until its 2022 combination with Wayne Farms.
Last updated November 2, 2026
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Overview
Sanderson Farms was an American poultry producer headquartered in Laurel, Mississippi. Established in 1947 by D. R. Sanderson Sr., the company developed from a regional chicken business into one of the largest broiler producers in the United States. Its operations covered the integrated poultry-production chain, including the breeding and growing of chickens, processing, and the sale of chicken products. The company expanded through internal growth and acquisition-related development. In 1961, it merged with Miss Goldy’s Chicken, an event that contributed to the broadening of its operating base. Sanderson Farms became a publicly listed company in 1987 and subsequently operated as a large-scale public poultry enterprise. Its production network included facilities in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina. By 2020, the company reported more than $3.5 billion in revenue and processed more than 4.8 billion pounds of meat. These figures describe the scale of the business during its final period as an independent company; they should not be treated as current figures for the post-merger organization. In 2021, Sanderson Farms was included in the Fortune 500 and was reported to employ more than 17,000 people. The company was also described as producing approximately 13.65 million chickens per week, placing it among the leading poultry producers in the country. Sanderson Farms became the subject of a major ownership transaction in 2021. Cargill and Continental Grain agreed to acquire the company for approximately $4.5 billion and combine it with Wayne Farms, a Continental Grain subsidiary. The proposed transaction attracted regulatory scrutiny, including an investigation by the United States Department of Justice, and the closing timetable was uncertain in March 2022. The transaction ultimately closed on July 22, 2022, when Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms were combined to create Wayne-Sanderson Farms. The resulting business was privately held and controlled through a joint venture involving Cargill and Continental Grain, ending Sanderson Farms’ existence as an independent publicly traded company. The Sanderson Farms name therefore represents both a historical poultry company and a legacy brand within the broader Wayne-Sanderson Farms organization. Its former business was primarily focused on chicken rather than a diversified consumer-food portfolio, with products sold through retail, foodservice, and other commercial channels. Specific current brand architecture and product availability after the merger are not established by the supplied reference material.
History
Sanderson Farms began in 1947 in Mississippi, founded by D. R. Sanderson Sr. The company’s original and enduring focus was poultry, particularly the production and sale of broiler chickens. Over time, it developed an integrated operating model that linked chicken breeding and growing with processing and distribution. This structure enabled the company to manage a substantial portion of the path from live poultry to finished chicken products. A significant early expansion milestone came in 1961, when Sanderson Farms merged with Miss Goldy’s Chicken. The combination helped establish the company as a more substantial regional poultry operator. Sanderson Farms continued expanding its production footprint across the southern United States, eventually operating facilities in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina. The company entered the public markets in 1987. As a public company, it grew into one of the largest poultry producers in the United States. Its business remained concentrated in chicken rather than extending broadly across unrelated food categories. Products included fresh and frozen chicken and other processed chicken offerings for consumer and commercial customers. The scale of the enterprise increased markedly in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In 2020, Sanderson Farms was reported to have generated more than $3.5 billion and processed over 4.8 billion pounds of meat. In 2021, it employed more than 17,000 people and appeared on the Fortune 500 list. Reference material also describes production of approximately 13.65 million chickens per week, illustrating the industrial scale of its broiler operations. In August 2021, Cargill and Continental Grain announced an agreement to purchase Sanderson Farms for approximately $4.5 billion. The transaction was designed to combine Sanderson Farms with Wayne Farms, a poultry company owned by Continental Grain, and create a new privately held business. The proposal received regulatory attention. In March 2022, completion remained uncertain because of an investigation by the United States Department of Justice. The transaction was completed on July 22, 2022. Wayne Farms and Sanderson Farms were merged into Wayne-Sanderson Farms, controlled through a joint venture between Cargill and Continental Grain. This combination ended Sanderson Farms’ independent corporate existence and public-market listing. The Sanderson Farms entry is consequently historical: it describes the predecessor company that became part of Wayne-Sanderson Farms rather than a currently independent listed poultry producer.
- 2022
Combination with Wayne Farms
[1]On July 22, Sanderson Farms merged with Wayne Farms to form Wayne-Sanderson Farms.
- 2021
Fortune 500 recognition and proposed acquisition
[1]Sanderson Farms appeared on the Fortune 500 list, while Cargill and Continental Grain announced plans to acquire and combine it with Wayne Farms.
- 2020
Large-scale production and revenue year
[1]The company reported more than $3.5 billion in revenue and processed more than 4.8 billion pounds of meat.
- 1987
Public listing
[1]Sanderson Farms became a publicly listed company.
- 1961
Merger with Miss Goldy’s Chicken
[1]Sanderson Farms merged with Miss Goldy’s Chicken, supporting the company’s development as a larger poultry operator.
- 1947
Company founded
[1]D. R. Sanderson Sr. founded Sanderson Farms as a poultry business in the United States.
Products and positioning
A large-scale, vertically integrated American chicken producer serving retail, foodservice, and commercial poultry markets.
Poultry
Broiler chickens
Broiler chickens were the core product of Sanderson Farms’ integrated poultry business. The company bred and raised chickens, processed them in its production network, and sold the resulting meat through retail, foodservice, and commercial channels. The business was built around high-volume production rather than a diversified portfolio of animal proteins.
Fresh poultry
Fresh chicken
Fresh chicken represented a major form in which Sanderson Farms’ broiler output reached customers. The category covered chicken sold without being frozen and included products prepared for household consumption and commercial food preparation. Specific product names, pack formats, and post-merger availability are not established in the supplied reference material.
Processed poultry
Frozen and processed chicken
The company also produced frozen and processed chicken meat. These products extended the usability and distribution range of its poultry output beyond fresh retail supply and supported sales to commercial and foodservice buyers. The available references do not provide a detailed catalog of individual branded items.
Controversies
2020
Boston Market files broiler price-fixing lawsuit
Boston Market filed a federal lawsuit against poultry companies, alleging that they conspired to manipulate broiler prices from 2008 to 2017 and caused it hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges. The allegations are presented as claims in the lawsuit, not as a court determination.
2020
Chick-fil-A sues poultry suppliers over alleged price-fixing
Chick-fil-A filed a lawsuit in federal court against poultry suppliers, alleging that they coordinated meat-supply pricing and reduced production in order to raise prices. The filing states these allegations as claims in the lawsuit; they are not a determination of wrongdoing. The suit names Sanderson Farms among the poultry suppliers involved in the dispute. The allegations remain claims that have yet to be adjudicated.
Brand decisions
2022
Complete merger with Wayne FarmsM&ABackground
Regulatory review had created uncertainty about the proposed transaction, but the acquisition and combination proceeded.
Action taken
Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms merged on July 22, 2022, forming Wayne-Sanderson Farms.
Aftermath
Sanderson Farms ceased to operate as an independent publicly listed company, and the combined business became privately held under a Cargill–Continental Grain joint venture.
2021
Agree to sale to Cargill and Continental GrainM&ABackground
Sanderson Farms was a large publicly listed poultry producer, and Cargill and Continental Grain proposed combining it with Wayne Farms, a Continental Grain subsidiary.
Action taken
The companies announced an approximately $4.5 billion acquisition agreement intended to create a privately held combined poultry business.
Aftermath
The proposal underwent United States Department of Justice scrutiny before closing in July 2022.
Announced acquisition value. $4.5 billion (2021 announcement)
Recent events
Shareholder sues Sanderson Farms over proposed merger disclosures[4]
Reported:
Sanderson Farms shareholder Alex Ciccotelli filed suit against the company and its board, alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The plaintiff alleges the proxy statement omitted material information about the proposed transaction and seeks, among other relief, an injunction preventing the transaction from proceeding until an adequate proxy statement is filed. These are allegations in the complaint.
Chick-fil-A sues poultry suppliers over alleged price-fixing[3]
Reported:
Chick-fil-A sued poultry suppliers in federal court, alleging they coordinated meat-supply pricing and reduced production to raise prices. The allegations are claims in the lawsuit, not a determination of wrongdoing.
- Unconfirmed
Boston Market files broiler price-fixing lawsuit[2]
Reported:
Boston Market filed a federal lawsuit against poultry companies, alleging they conspired to manipulate broiler prices from 2008 to 2017 and caused it hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges. The allegations are presented as claims in the lawsuit, not as a court determination.
Sources8 sources
- 1Sanderson Farmsen.wikipedia.org
- 2Boston Market files broiler price-fixing lawsuitdtnpf.com
- 3Chick-fil-A sues poultry suppliers over alleged price-fixingfoxbusiness.com
- 4Chick-fil-A sues poultry suppliers over alleged price-fixinglawstreetmedia.com
- 5Chick-fil-A sues chicken producers for price-fixingruralradio.com
- 6Chick-fil-A sues chicken producers, alleging price fixing on billions of dollars of poultrynbcnews.com
- 7Chick-fil-A sues chicken producers, claims collusion and price-fixingnydailynews.com
- 8Sanderson Farms Sued Again Over Proposed Acquisition by Cargill and Continental Grainlawstreetmedia.com
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