LIVINGSTON, Calif. – Foster Farms looks to be expanding its operations in California after the company won the bid to acquire 19 poultry processing plants owned by Zacky Farms.

In November 2018, Zacky filed for bankruptcy and closed business operations. In an effort to raise capital, the chicken business was sold to Foster Farms in 2001. In 2012, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with plans to reorganize and continue operating normally. In 2013, it conducted a bankruptcy auction of its assets during which a family trust was the winning bidder.

According to California Bankruptcy Court, Foster Farms, which is California’s largest poultry producer, will pay $31 million for the 19 facilities.

“From the start, Foster Farms has steadily grown through strategic purchases of highly desired land, poultry ranches and facilities in the West Coast and beyond,” said Ira Brill, Foster Farms’ vice president of communications in a statement.

A report by The Business Journal said that prior to Foster Farms’ acquisition, commercial finance company Great Rock Capital planned to lease the vacant ranches to Pitman Family Farms based in Sanger, California.

In February, Foster Farms announced an multi-million dollar expansion in Merced County, California to upgrade and expand the poultry processing plant at its headquarters. The company also named Dan Huber the new CEO later in the month.