On Dec. 6, 2018, Stampede Meat cut the ribbon on its new processing facility in Sunland Park, N.M., just across the state line from El Paso, Texas. The former Tyson Foods facility had sat idle for nearly four years but was the perfect fit for Stampede’s desire to expand beyond its Chicago-centric processing footprint, keeping its customers’ needs front-and-center. Andy Hanacek, editor-in-chief of The National Provisioner, visited the facility the day before the ribbon cutting for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour, and also attended the ceremony. What follows is a portion of his one-on-one interview with president & CEO Brock Furlong, who walked Hanacek through the acquisition of the plant, how the renovation proceeded and what the new facility means for Stampede Meat’s future.

Hanacek: Let’s start with the general background of the acquisition of the Sunland Park facility. How long had this acquisition been in the works? What prompted Stampede to set its sights on expansion? How long did it take?