BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart kicked off 2020 with renewed focus on improving the quality of the company’s food products starting with its offerings in the meat case.

In April 2019, Walmart launched its own end-to-end supply chain for Angus beef. The company continued to make improvements with the opening of a case-ready facility in Thomasville, Georgia on Jan. 10. The 201,000 sq. ft. facility is operated by Augusta, Georgia-based FPL Foods LLC and created more than 200 jobs to the state. The plant will serve as a distribution hub for a selection of Angus beef cuts, such as steaks and roasts from the new supply chain to 500 Walmart stores in the southeast, including Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

“Our new Angus beef supply chain is a perfect example of Walmart’s dedication to bringing customers high-quality food at a great price,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Meat, Walmart US. “By enlisting a number of top companies to take part in our Angus beef supply chain, including FLP foods, which operates the facility we’re proud to open today we’ll be able to provide customers with unprecedented transparency throughout the supply chain and leverage the learning we gain across our business.”

Construction on the facility started in August 2018. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp joined Walmart executives at a grand opening of the state-of-the-art facility.

“Walmart has a long history in Georgia, I am thrilled that the company selected Thomasville as the location for this facility,” Kemp said at the ceremony. “It’s a vote of confidence in our state, in the South Georgia region and the Thomasville community, and great news for those employees and their families”

Partners in the company’s supply chain endeavor include Creekstone Farms, rancher Bob McClaren of 44 Farms and Prime Pursuits in Cameron, Texas, and Hereford, Texas-based Mc6 Cattle Feeders. McClaren will help Walmart source cattle, and Mc6 Cattle Feeders will feed the cattle. Creekstone Farms, a subsidiary of Japan-based Marubeni Corp., will process the cattle at the company’s Arkansas City, Kansas, facility.