According to the St. Louis Regional Freightway, St. Louis' strategic location in America's agricultural heartland and unmatched freight infrastructure drive major facility expansions from American Foods Group, Tyson Foods and Performance Food Group.
The St. Louis region is cementing its position as a national Food & AgTech hub with more than $1 billion in new investments supporting manufacturing, distribution and innovation across the bi-state Missouri/Illinois area.
The region's competitive advantages stem from its central U.S. location, with 50% of all U.S. crops produced within a 500-mile radius of St. Louis, making it ideal for food processing, animal nutrition and beverage production. The area employs nearly 3.5 times as many sector workers as similar-sized metros.
American Foods Group's $800 million beef processing facility in Warren County, Mo., represents the largest recent investment. The 775,000-square-foot facility opened in May 2025 with 400 employees and is expected to employ up to 1,300 workers at full capacity, generating an estimated $1 billion regional economic impact.
"It really is a great location. It provides good opportunity to serve our customers and expand as that becomes an opportunity," said Scott Willert, president of America's Service Line & America's Logistics.
Performance Food Group celebrated the grand opening of its 338,000-square-foot distribution facility in Berkley, Mo., in November 2025. The $115 million investment is adding an estimated 100 new jobs to the region.
Tyson Foods is investing $180 million to expand its Caseyville, Ill., facility, retaining 300 existing jobs and creating 400 new positions through seven new production lines. Company representatives cited location and workforce as driving factors, noting collaboration between local high schools and community colleges to develop skilled workers.
Prairie Farms is building a $9 million headquarters complex in Edwardsville, Ill., expected to be completed in summer 2026. Global beverage leader Anheuser-Busch InBev announced an $8 million investment in its flagship St. Louis brewery in October 2024, part of more than $165 million invested in its St. Louis campus since 2019.
Beyond manufacturing, the region has emerged as an AgTech innovation hub, anchored by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Bayer Innovation Center. The area is home to more than 1,000 plant scientists and more than 400 biotech research and development companies, supported by $87 million in National Institutes of Health startup grants and $142 million in federal commercialization funding.
The region's freight infrastructure includes the "Ag Coast of America," a 15-mile Mississippi River stretch featuring 16 barge transfer facilities, four ice-free ports, six Class I railroads, four major interstates and two international cargo airports.
