Townsend

December 2025 Business Spotlight: Mountaire Farms – Proudly Serving Townsend Since 2012

This month, we shine our Business Spotlight on Mountaire Farms, a company with a century-long legacy of quality, family values, and strong agricultural partnerships. With operations across five states and an important grain facility right here in Townsend, Mountaire plays an essential role in supporting our local farming community and regional food supply.

About Mountaire Farms

Mountaire Farms began its story in 1914, when the company was founded in Little Rock, Arkansas, as a small feed business. Over the course of more than 110 years, Mountaire has grown and evolved into the fourth-largest chicken company in the United States, with operations in:

• Delaware

• Maryland

• Virginia

• North Carolina

• Arkansas

Today, Mountaire remains proudly family-owned and operated, reflecting the same strong values they were built on—hard work, quality, and caring for their customers and communities.

Here in Townsend, the company’s Prime Quality team is responsible for buying and selling grain from local farmers, providing the essential feed ingredients needed to raise healthy chickens across Delaware. This location plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in keeping Mountaire’s poultry operations running efficiently and sustainably.

How Mountaire Came to Townsend

In June 2012, Mountaire purchased the former Gavilon Grain Elevator located in Townsend. The acquisition strengthened Mountaire’s network of grain storage facilities across the Delmarva Peninsula and expanded their ability to work closely with farmers in northern Delaware and surrounding areas.

The Townsend facility operates as Mountaire’s northernmost grain elevator, allowing the company to purchase grain from:

• Kent County, Delaware

• New Castle County, Delaware

• Southeastern Pennsylvania

• Southwestern New Jersey

This strategic location not only benefits Mountaire but also offers farmers in multiple states a dependable, local buyer during the busy harvest season.

A Commitment That Sets Them Apart

Mountaire Farms stands out for more than its size and longevity. What truly sets the company apart is its unwavering dedication to quality and integrity.

• Family-owned for over a century

• More than 10,000 employees nationwide

• Quality assurance built into every step of their operation

• Strong focus on customer care and community partnership

Despite their growth, Mountaire has remained grounded in their core values, ensuring every decision reflects their belief in doing the right thing—day after day, season after season.

What Mountaire Enjoys Most

The team at Mountaire’s Townsend location says the highlight of their work is the people—especially the local farmers they serve each year.

These farmers, many of whom have partnered with Mountaire for decades, rely on the facility to help them move their harvest efficiently and reliably. Mountaire considers it a true blessing to support these hardworking individuals who feed our region and beyond.

A Memorable Story from the Townsend Team

Among the many farmers who come through each year, one stands out in particular. He was a small, seasoned farmer who arrived every harvest season pulling a wagon of corn behind his 1950s-era tractor. For years, he greeted the Mountaire team with a warm smile and a steady determination.

On his final visit before retiring, his antique tractor broke down and had to be towed to the facility. Despite the setback, his spirit, dedication, and work ethic left a lasting impression on the Mountaire team—serving as a reminder of why their work matters and how deeply connected they are to the farming community.

Support From the Townsend Community

Mountaire is grateful for the strong working relationship they have built with:

• Townsend officials

• Local residents

• Nearby farmers and agricultural partners

These partnerships help create a smooth and successful harvest season each year. The company values the open communication and mutual respect they’ve received since opening their Townsend location.

What’s Coming Up: Harvest Season

The upcoming harvest season is one of the busiest times of the year for Mountaire. As farmers begin bringing in their crops, Townsend residents may notice an increase in truck traffic as loads of corn are delivered to the grain facility.

Mountaire kindly asks residents for patience and understanding during this period. Their team works hard to get trucks unloaded quickly so farmers can return to their fields and keep their operations running smoothly.

What Many People Don’t Know

Behind every package of chicken on the dinner table lies a complex and hardworking process. Mountaire emphasizes that it takes many people—from farmers to grain buyers to plant workers—to ensure the highest quality product reaches families across the country.

Their Townsend facility is a key piece of this much larger agricultural chain.

How Residents Can Support Mountaire

Mountaire is proud to be part of the Townsend community and welcomes open communication with residents. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about their operations, they encourage you to reach out directly:

📞 William Brandes
Grain Facility Manager
(302) 378-2222 ext. 2662

Mountaire Farms has spent more than a century caring for the communities they serve. Townsend is grateful to be part of that legacy, and we appreciate the value they bring to our local farmers, our regional food supply, and our town.

Thank you, Mountaire, for your continued investment in Townsend and your dedication to quality, community, and tradition.