Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, the multinational chicken producer, will launch on Thursday its US $40 million El Porvenir plant in Gómez Palacio, Durango, which is expected to create over 300 jobs.
The project is part of Pilgrim’s broader plans to invest $1.3 billion in Mexico between 2026 and 2030 under the Sheinbaum government’s Plan México economic strategy, which is expected to increase production by more than 373,000 metric tonnes and generate over 4,000 direct and 16,000 indirect jobs.
The investment will be divided among several states, with $200 million allocated to Durango and Coahuila in the northern border zone, $150 million to Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Hidalgo in El Bajío and the center, and $950 million to the southeastern states of Veracruz, Campeche and Yucatán.
Durango’s Foreign Investment Attraction Unit head, Arturo Ortiz Galán, said that the new production line will support local suppliers and the region’s poultry businesses, helping to reinforce Durango’s position as an industrial and agri-food hub. The plant will also expand Pilgrim’s value-added product range by producing cooked chicken.
Ortiz Galán said the expansion was made possible through collaboration with the federal government, which has provided investment incentives.
“Thanks to the good relationship that [Durango] Governor [Esteban] Villegas has with President Sheinbaum, I have been able to easily initiate discussions and secure support from all the relevant ministries,” Galán said. “It’s very positive that there’s a plan to digitalize all processes and create a one-stop shop for investments.”
It delivers food to approximately 30 million Mexicans, employs around 12,600 people across Mexico, and provides 50,000 indirect jobs through its partner farmers, logistics providers and supply chain.
In January, President Sheinbaum praised the Mexican business environment for attracting high investment from Pilgrim’s.
“This investment they are making… is because they have been successful and because they know that investing in Mexico is safe and allows them to continue growing,” Sheinbaum said during a morning press conference.
With reports from Milenio and Mexico Industry
