Established in 1947, Sanderson Farms is one of the leading poultry producers in the United States. The company specializes in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. Its chicken products are sold under the Sanderson Farms brand name to retailers, distributors and fast food operators. Sanderson Farms distributes more than 100 processed and prepared frozen entrees and other specialty food products. The company s foods division produces 555,000 pounds of entrees and 1,000,000 pounds of processed chicken every week. It also operates several poultry complexes and processing plants in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Georgia. The company has over 9,700 employees and contracts with nearly 700 independent growers. Sanderson Farms is located in Collins, Miss.