A Family Legacy Begins

Arthur Perdue founded his poultry company in 1920, the same year his wife, Pearl, gave birth to their son, Franklin Parsons Perdue.

The Perdues' poultry business continued to grow as local farmers trusted Arthur as a man of integrity.

A poultry disease sweeping through the region destroyed most of the company’s flocks and threatened the family business.

Frank took over leadership of the business, which became incorporated as A.W. Perdue & Son.

The company gained traction in the grain and oilseed business as Frank recognized the increasing importance of feed ingredients, investing in grain receiving and soybean processing.

The company's first TV commercial aired in the early ’70s and introduced Frank Perdue, the first company leader to successfully serve as an advertising spokesperson in a major branding campaign.

Perdue added turkey to its poultry portfolio, introduced its first fully cooked products with the PERDUE® DONE IT® line and branched out into foodservice.

Jim Perdue was named chairman in 1991, becoming a third-generation company leader, and took over the role of advertising spokesperson in 1994.

Streamlined production, investments in state-of-the-art equipment and a brand-new innovation center positioned the company well in the new century.

Perdue launched the HARVESTLAND® brand, featuring chicken raised with no antibiotics ever, and became the first poultry company to provide consumers the assurance of a USDA Process Verified Program.

Perdue purchased Coleman Natural Foods and became the leading producer of organic chicken and no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey and pork.

Continuing to focus on premium proteins and trusted brands, Perdue Farms acquired Natural Food Holdings, including the NIMAN RANCH® brand, the PRAIRIE GROVE® brand and pork processing operations.

Groundbreaking Commitments to Animal Care transformed the company's approach to raising chickens, moving from the industry norm of basic needs to the Five Freedoms

The PERDUE® brand continued to make advertising history by introducing a fourth generation of family advertising spokespersons.

In 2018, we marked the 50th anniversary of the PERDUE® brand and brought the party home with a celebration at our Salisbury, Md., plant where it all started.