Tyson Foods Announces New Discovery Center Facility

SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS - Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) today officially unveiled its new “Discovery Center,” a research and development facility designed to enhance the company’s ability to create new foods and bring them to market more quickly.

“The Discovery Center is much more than a building,” said Tyson President and Chief Executive Officer Richard L. Bond to reporters invited to tour the facility. “It’s about our passion to create new products designed to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s consumers.

“It’s a hub of food innovation enabling us to combine consumer insights with culinary and food manufacturing expertise to develop great-tasting chicken, beef and pork products,” Bond added. “We believe there is no other research and development facility like it anywhere in the world.”

The Discovery Center, which opened in mid-January, is located on the campus of Tyson’s World Headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas. The 100,000 square foot facility is home to the food science and culinary professionals who are part of Tyson’s Research and Development team. The Center includes 19 specialized research kitchens, a multi-protein pilot plant, a packaging innovation lab, a sensory analysis lab and consumer focus group capabilities.

“The Discovery Center is designed for joint value creation with our customers,” said Hal Carper, senior vice president of Corporate Research and Development for Tyson. “Here our food innovation teams collaborate with customers to research consumer needs, then design and test new products and packaging. We can then produce products on a test basis in a real-life manufacturing environment.”

Tyson’s Research and Development team includes approximately 120 Team Members. More than 50 of them hold advanced degrees, including 11 with PhDs. About 65 Tyson technologists are training to become Research Chefs Association (RCA) Certified Culinary Scientists. Once they have completed the training, this means two-thirds of the world’s RCA Certified Culinary Scientists will be on staff at Tyson Foods.

Tyson Foods, Inc. [NYSE: TSN], founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is the world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products, which are marketed under the “Powered by Tyson®” strategy. Tyson is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, providing products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 107,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.