NAICS 311615 Quarterly Industry Report
Poultry Processing
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 311615Sector: 31Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 311615 provides valuation-focused intelligence for professionals assessing poultry processing businesses. Additional data is drawn from Bureau of Labor Statistics[7], U.S. Census Bureau[8].. Data is sourced from USDA FSIS[6] inspection and compliance data, USDA NASS[9] poultry production statistics, and SBA size standards[10] to support business appraisals, acquisition due diligence, lending decisions, and investment analysis for poultry processing enterprises.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the poultry processing industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Poultry Processing (NAICS 311615) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in slaughtering poultry and small game and preparing processed poultry meat and meat byproducts, including fresh and frozen chicken parts, turkey products, ground poultry, chicken nuggets and tenders, poultry sausages, deli meats, and other further-processed poultry items. These integrated operations receive live birds from contract growers, perform slaughter and evisceration, and produce whole birds, cut-up parts, and value-added products for retail, foodservice, and export distribution. The U.S. Census Bureau[5] classifies poultry processing separately from animal slaughtering (NAICS 311611) and meat processing from carcasses (NAICS 311612).
The U.S. poultry industry processes billions of pounds of chicken and turkey annually, with chicken representing the most consumed protein in the country. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service[6] conducts mandatory inspection at all poultry processing plants, enforcing the Poultry Products Inspection Act and pathogen reduction performance standards. Industry industry operates under a vertically integrated production model where processing companies own or control breeding stock, hatcheries, feed mills, and contract grower networks, creating supply chain coordination from egg to finished product.
Business valuations for poultry processors focus on processing plant kill and further-processing line capacity, contract grower network coverage, brand recognition in retail and foodservice channels, and export market access for dark meat and specialty products. Appraisers evaluate live bird costs relative to industry benchmarks, processing yield rates, further-processing line versatility, cold chain distribution infrastructure, and the competitive dynamics among the largest integrated poultry companies that control the majority of U.S. broiler production volume.
What's Included in This Industry
- Sector-specific valuation multiples and financial benchmarks for poultry slaughtering and processing operations
- Revenue and profitability analysis across fresh chicken, frozen poultry, further-processed items, turkey, and export product segments
- SBA size standard classification and lending threshold data for NAICS 311615
- Comparable transaction data from recent poultry company acquisitions, processing plant sales, and integrated operation mergers
- Market analysis covering chicken consumption trends, further-processing growth, export demand, and organic and antibiotic-free production segments
- Workforce and labor cost benchmarking for processing line workers, deboning operators, further-processing staff, and USDA inspection compliance
- Industry risk assessment including feed cost volatility, disease outbreak exposure, labor availability, regulatory compliance costs, and pricing pressure
- Regulatory compliance overview covering USDA FSIS poultry inspection, pathogen standards, labeling rules, and animal welfare audit requirements
- Capital expenditure profiles for kill lines, evisceration equipment, cut-up lines, further-processing systems, and cold storage facilities
- Production metrics including birds per hour line speed, yield per bird, further-processing throughput, cold chain compliance, and cost per pound benchmarks
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Food Manufacturing | 311 |
| Industry Group | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 3116 |
| NAICS Industry | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 31161 |
| National Industry | Poultry Processing | 311615 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 311611 | Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering | Animal slaughtering operations sharing USDA inspection frameworks, cold chain logistics infrastructure, and wholesale meat distribution channels with poultry processors |
| 311612 | Meat Processed from Carcasses | Meat processing operations competing for consumer protein spending and retail shelf space alongside further-processed poultry products in grocery and foodservice |
| 311613 | Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing | Rendering operations collecting feathers, offal, and processing waste from poultry plants for conversion into feather meal, poultry fat, and byproduct meal |
| 424440 | Poultry and Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers | Poultry and poultry product merchant wholesalers distributing fresh and frozen chicken and turkey from processors to retail and foodservice customers |
| 311710 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | Seafood product preparation operations competing for consumer protein demand alongside poultry products in retail and foodservice distribution channels |
| 445110 | Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) | Supermarkets and grocery retailers operating meat departments where fresh and frozen poultry products are merchandised alongside other protein options |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 8.8% | 44 |
| 2 | Arkansas | 8.8% | 44 |
| 3 | Georgia | 8.8% | 44 |
| 4 | Alabama | 7.8% | 39 |
| 5 | Texas | 7.5% | 38 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 5.6% | 28 |
| 7 | New York | 5.0% | 25 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 3.6% | 18 |
| 9 | Mississippi | 3.4% | 17 |
| 10 | Ohio | 3.4% | 17 |
% Of Establishments
0%
9%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
56
Total SBA Loans
$34.0M
Total Loan Volume
$607K
Average Loan Size
17 yrs
Average Loan Term
9.32%
Average Interest Rate
1,640
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: The SBA[11] classifies Poultry Processing (NAICS 311615) with a size standard of 1,250 employees. Smaller regional poultry processors within this threshold qualify for SBA-backed lending[12] and government contracting preferences, including USDA commodity procurement programs purchasing poultry for school lunch and nutrition programs. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[13] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[14] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 24 | $10.9M | $455K |
| 2 | Wallis Bank | 8 | $10.2M | $1.3M |
| 3 | Busey Bank | 8 | $7.8M | $975K |
| 4 | Zions Bank, A Division of | 8 | $2.9M | $360K |
| 5 | First Financial Bank | 8 | $2.2M | $277K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for poultry processing?
Poultry Processing is classified under NAICS code 311615, covering chicken, turkey, and small game slaughtering and processing per the U.S. Census Bureau[5] classification system.
What is the SBA size standard for poultry processing?
The SBA[11] sets the size standard for NAICS 311615 at 1,250 employees, qualifying eligible poultry processors for small business lending programs and government contracting preferences.
How are poultry processing businesses valued?
Valuations focus on processing capacity, contract grower networks, brand recognition, further-processing capability, and distribution reach per USDA NASS[9] poultry production data.
What is vertical integration in poultry?
Integrated poultry companies own or control the entire production chain from breeding stock and hatcheries through feed mills, contract grower farms, and processing plants to finished product distribution.
What products does NAICS 311615 cover?
Products include fresh and frozen chicken parts, whole turkeys, ground poultry, nuggets, tenders, poultry sausages, and deli meats per U.S. Census Bureau[5] product definitions.
What risks affect poultry processors?
Major risks include feed cost volatility (corn and soybean meal), avian influenza and disease outbreaks, labor recruitment challenges, USDA regulatory compliance costs, and commodity pricing pressure.
What USDA standards apply to poultry processing?
The USDA FSIS[6] enforces the Poultry Products Inspection Act through mandatory plant inspection, pathogen reduction standards, labeling accuracy, and food safety compliance requirements.
How concentrated is the U.S. poultry industry?
The broiler industry is highly concentrated, with the largest integrated companies controlling the majority of U.S. production through vertically integrated operations from farm to finished product.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [6]USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service fsis.usda.gov
- [7]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [8]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [9]USDA NASS nass.usda.gov
- [10]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [11]SBA sba.gov
- [12]SBA-backed lending sba.gov
- [13]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [14]504 loans sba.gov
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