ANKENY, Iowa —

JBS announced on Wednesday that it will be purchasing the former Hy-Vee Fresh Commissary facility in Ankeny.

JBS says it plans to invest $100 million and transform the 186,000-square-foot facility into the largest ready-to-eat bacon and sausage plant in the company's U.S. portfolio.

The new facility will produce fully-cooked bacon and sausage products. When Hy-Vee owned the facility, it produced Mealtime items, sandwiches, salads, bakery items and take-and-bake pizzas. Hy-Vee announced earlier this spring that it was closing the Ankeny facility, as well as a facility in Chariton.

Because of the similarity of the work involved, JBS says it is interested in hiring former Hy-Vee employees who worked at the facility.

JBS says the Ankeny facility is expected to be operatio

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