May 21, 2026

Inside the century-old Smithfield Foods plant in downtown Sioux Falls, employees say they’re looking forward to the chance to work in the state-of-the-art new facility announced earlier this year.

“They were excited,” said Bobby Smith, who works in the pork harvest area.

Smith moved to Sioux Falls from Chicago and has worked at Smithfield for 17 years.

“As I got into it, I learned a lot about what they produce from a hog and got real intrigued about it, and I’m still here,” Smith said.

He said he’s looking forward to continuing to learn, with new automation technology being incorporated into the planned $1.3 billion facility at Foundation Park.

“My mom always told me some change is good,” he said. “I’m excited about it.”

His colleagues are happy the new facility will be mostly on one level, Smith added.

“Now, they won’t have to navigate to get to whatever department they have to get to, and it’s easier access.”

The upbeat attitude is common across the Sioux Falls plant, general manager Frank Kern said.

“It’s an excited group of people down here,” he said. “The security of knowing we’re going to remain in the community — we’ve been here 117 years and been a cornerstone of the city, and we look to be here another 117 years.”

Alberto Marcial is a maintenance leader who works in the fresh pork packaging area of the plant. He’s originally from Nebraska and has worked at Smithfield for six years, including finishing an associate degree in mechatronics from Southeast Technical College supported by his employer.

“There was always rumors (about the plant), but when it got announced, I was just full of joy,” he said. “Very excited.”

Marcial is also looking forward to fewer stairs and said “it will help obviously with accessibility.”

In maintenance, he also anticipates improved technology.

“I love learning, so any new equipment, I’m going to get on it and learn it,” Marcial said. “Just overall, it was time. With the new plant, it’s just going to make everything better. I feel like people are going to be driven to come here for this new plant.”

Smithfield announced the project earlier this year, and dirt work has started on the 200-acre site in northwest Sioux Falls.

“We were watching when they were announcing it and just thinking about the possibility of how great it’s going to be,” Marcial said.

Both Smith and Marcial are west-siders who say they’re looking forward to their commute to work. Smithfield has said the new plant could open as soon as late 2028.

“I live on that side of town, and it makes it a lot easier,” Marcial said. “I feel like most people live on that side of town, so you don’t have to fight through traffic out there. I just feel in general it’s going to be better for everybody and make the job easier for everybody.”