Meatpacker gain attention for turkey

An eastern Iowa meatpacker is getting statewide recognition from a national sandwich chain. West Liberty Foods is providing a variety of meats to Subway restaurants nationwide, and all 169 Subways in Iowa are recognizing the effort by using the “Taste of Iowa” sticker. Jennifer Porter is the value-added foods manager at the Iowa Department of Economic Development. The stickers will be on all Subway doors at eye-level statewide and on the sneeze-guards inside the stores, saying, “We proudly serve Iowa beef and turkey products.”Porter hopes Iowans who see the stickers will be more inclined to patronize stores which display them. Porter says the West Liberty-based meatpacker has been supplying Subway restaurants across the U-S with turkey and beef products for more than a year now. West Liberty Foods has facilities in West Liberty and Sigourney which package chicken, turkey, pork and beef. (As above) The company began in 1996 as the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative with 47 area producers.