Value Added Agriculture

Hostess Brands makes their beloved Twinkies in Emporia. Other companies include the Bunge Corporation, Fanestil Meats, and Tyson Fresh Meats.

According to data the Kansas Department of Agriculture data, Lyon County, and Emporia, Kansas ranked fifth in the entire state for total agriculture output of $2.34 billion.

Emporia/Lyon County ranks seventh in total agriculture, food, and food processing, with employment of 5,459 persons.

Tyson Foods, and Fanestil Meats are protein processing operations. Bunge converts soy beans into soy oil, and soy meal. Hostess Brands has their “flag ship” cake plant in Emporia, Kansas with the production of over 1,000 Twinkies, and cupcakes per minute.

Two dry pet nutrition facilities – Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Cargill Pet Food operate in Emporia. One private label wet pet nutrition plant – Simmons Pet Food operates their flagship operation here.