Turning Bacon into Brilliance
Turning Bacon into Brilliance: Inside a USDA Ready-to-Eat Facility Built for the Future
A Complete Delivery from Start to Sizzle
Austin Consulting provided site selection and incentives negotiation services, Austin followed with conceptual design, process engineering, detailed design, and construction documentation. The Austin team then oversaw construction and provided start-up support, delivering a fully integrated solution for this 130,248 SF facility. The layout includes:
- First Floor: 99,010 SF
- Mezzanine: 30,740 SF
- Fire Pump House: 498 SF
This greenfield facility was designed for high-volume production of fully cooked bacon and bacon bits, with automation incorporated throughout—from processing to palletization.
Austin’s experience in food facility design and construction has also been applied to other major projects, including JBS’s flagship RTE bacon plant in Moberly, Missouri, underscoring our depth of expertise in protein processing.
Automation in Action: From Bacon to Bots
As smart manufacturing becomes standard in food processing, this USDA Ready-to-Eat facility demonstrates how automation can be integrated effectively. From raw intake to palletization, automated systems were incorporated throughout the process and packaging lines to enhance safety, efficiency, and scalability.
Key features include:
- Automated raw material handling to minimize contamination risk
- Precision-controlled cooking systems for consistent product quality
- Grease recovery and processing to optimize by-product utilization
- Packaging automation and robotic palletization for streamlined, ergonomic end-of-line operations
By embedding automation into the facility’s design, the project improved operational efficiency, strengthened food safety, reduced labor strain, and positioned the client for future growth. These advancements align with industry trends highlighted at IPPE 2025, where robotics and smart systems are redefining protein production.
Similar strategies have been implemented in other Austin projects, including the JBS Moberly plant, underscoring that automation is no longer optional—it is essential for competitive throughput, workforce protection, and consistent quality. Technologies such as robotic palletizers, microwave cooking lines, and nitrogen-injected chill screws are setting new benchmarks for modern food processing.
Designed for Efficiency and Expansion
The facility includes:
- Shipping and receiving docks
- Raw receiving coolers
- Raw processing
- Cooking areas
- Grease processing
- Packaging zones
- Finished goods freezer and dry storage
- Second-floor mezzanine for support equipment
- Box erection, welfare areas, maintenance, and offices
Every square foot was planned with food safety and scalability in mind. Key design elements include raw vs. cooked separation, controlled room pressurization in high-care zones, optimized personnel flow, and surfaces engineered for microbiological-level cleanability—hallmarks of best-in-class hygienic standards.
Similar to the Moberly facility, this design anticipates future growth through modular layouts and expansion-ready infrastructure, ensuring readiness for evolving market demands.
Innovation That Pays Off
A standout feature of this project is a process innovation that transforms a secondary product—traditionally a cost center—into a revenue stream. This approach helped justify the investment and illustrates how operational challenges can become strategic advantages.
Aligned with industry sustainability goals, the facility includes grease recovery systems that can be refined for biodiesel production, turning byproducts into profit while reducing environmental impact.
Safety and Scale
The facility houses more than 500 pieces of process equipment and required over 30,000 labor hours to complete. The project was delivered with zero lost-time accidents—a reflection of disciplined project management and a safety-first culture.