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Costco has spent $1 BILLION building enormous Nebraska poultry farm

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Costco has spent  BILLION building enormous Nebraska poultry farm


Costco has spent $1 billion to ensure a steady supply of their famous in-store rotisserie chicken – setting up their own massive farm and slaughterhouse in Nebraska, with 500 chicken houses each containing 42,000 chickens.

The Washington-based company is the only one to have its own processing plant, which is spread across a 400-acre site and 400,000-square-foot plant.

It sees the facility as providing a strategic advantage over its rivals such as Target, BJ’s and Kroger, and helps ensure that its popular $4.99 rotisserie chicken can remain in stores – at the same price for years.

The chicken is seen as a way to draw in customers, and Costco has been able to withstand inflationary pressures and, with its own supply chain, the threat of avian flu, to keep the price of its birds static.

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‘We’ve trussed, we’ve marinated it, we’ve done all that,’ says Walt Shafer, chief operating officer of Lincoln Premium Processing, which Costco founded to provide the chickens.

‘Not only is it a super buy for the consumer, it’s become the center of the store, literally, and a centerpiece for Costco.

‘It’s why we’re here. That’s why we exist.’

Costco has opened a vast chicken processing plant in Fremont, Nebraska – the only retailer to have its own meat facility

Chickens are seen being moved around the state-of-the-art facility

Chickens are seen being moved around the state-of-the-art facility

Much of the work has been automated, reducing the injuries and cost involved

Much of the work has been automated, reducing the injuries and cost involved

Costco opened the plant in 2019 in Fremont, Nebraska, and on Friday allowed Forbes access to the sprawling facility.

The plant processes two million chickens a week, coming from its own network of chicken farmers and their own chicken houses.

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Thanks to the Nebraska facility, Costco has secured around 100 million of the 400 million chickens it’s estimated to sell annually. Roughly half of the plant’s chicken ends up on rotisserie spits.

The rest is cut into pieces, packed in plastic and shipped to stores in the Midwest and West Coast.

Costco learnt lessons from Tyson, the biggest poultry producer in the country, which tried to build a new chicken plant in Kansas and failed amid anger from local people.

Shafer spent two years trying to convince Nebraskans that the plant would be beneficial for them, and held multiple meetings with farmers trying to convince them in the traditionally cattle ranching area to add chickens.

Walt Shafer, chief operating officer of Lincoln Premium Processing, which Costco founded to provide the chickens

Walt Shafer, chief operating officer of Lincoln Premium Processing, which Costco founded to provide the chickens

A worker wearing a protective mask removes rotisserie chicken from skewers inside a Costco store in San Francisco, California

A worker wearing a protective mask removes rotisserie chicken from skewers inside a Costco store in San Francisco, California

Costco's $4.99 rotisserie chicken is a big selling point for the retailer

Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken is a big selling point for the retailer

Workers process chickens for Costco at the Lincoln Premium Poultry plant in Fremont, Nebraska

Workers process chickens for Costco at the Lincoln Premium Poultry plant in Fremont, Nebraska

The vast plant was built in 2019 and is now processing two million chicken a week

The vast plant was built in 2019 and is now processing two million chicken a week

Workers are seen in the Nebraska plant processing the chicken

Workers are seen in the Nebraska plant processing the chicken

Costco, which is based in Washington state, has 600 stores nationwide, supplied from Nebraska

Costco, which is based in Washington state, has 600 stores nationwide, supplied from Nebraska

Half of the chicken from the Nebraska facility is used in rotisserie chicken; the other half is processed (above)

Half of the chicken from the Nebraska facility is used in rotisserie chicken; the other half is processed (above)

The facility relies both on chickens raised on their own land, and on those brought in from nearby farms.

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Most of those who signed up to supply Costco with chickens are grain farmers that sell their harvest on the cash markets, and see adding chicken houses as a way to diversify.

They are given a 15-year contract, as a way of justifying their investment in getting their chicken operation up and running.

‘My goal is to make this the best poultry complex in the U.S., to get our team ready for the future to face the challenges that the world’s going to throw at us,’ said Shafer.

‘Our goal is to give Costco every benefit that we can squeeze out of here so that customers get to say, ‘This is why I’m becoming a member of Costco.’



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Nebraska

Nebraska Crossing outlet customers frustrated with faulty rewards system

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Nebraska Crossing outlet customers frustrated with faulty rewards system


GRETNA, Neb. (WOWT) – Scrolling through stores where he’s stopped at Nebraska Crossing, Bob Fielder watched his purchases build reward value that he’s been trying to cash in.

“FastCash is not very fast,” Bob said. “Like two years I haven’t been able to use it. It’s ridiculous.”

Bob has $800 in rewards to redeem, and a friend with about $625.

This is the second Christmas that Bob says he won’t have any gifts under the tree from Nebraska Crossing outlet mall, even though he has plenty of FastCash, but he also keeps getting the same greeting: “Redemption currently unavailable.”

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Two other consumers who filed with the Better Business Bureau have similar complaints about FastCash rewards, offered by Nebraska Crossing. One reads: “I accumulated a cash-back of almost $600 and they have not been honoring the cash-back. The other says they allow users to accumulate 15-percent cash-back, but no one can get the cash back from the outlets.

The BBB says those complaints have gone unanswered by Nebraska Crossing, so the outlet mall has an ‘F’ rating.

“I have called the office and asked them when the FastCash will be able to be redeemed and they tell me the same story, that it’s a software thing they haven’t got another company to control and monitor that.”

Though showing he has $835 in FastCash rewards, clikc on “read more,” and a pop-up says the offer is expired. But Bob says a deal is a deal.

He sent a text to developer Rod Yates, who replied: “We are in the app store for approval of our upgrades to the app, getting close to relaunch.

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Bob Fielder says he and other outlet mall customers shouldn’t be left up in the air on using FastCash rewards with Christmas just a week away.

“I think they should produce a gift card for all the customers that have FastCash and just be done with it,” said Bob.

Nebraska Crossing officials told First Alert 6 to check back Friday regarding the status of FastCash.



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Pick Six Podcast: Will Nebraska volleyball win a championship? Plus Nebraska and the transfer portal

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Pick Six Podcast: Will Nebraska volleyball win a championship? Plus Nebraska and the transfer portal


In the latest episode of the Pick Six Podcast, Sam McKewon, Evan Bland and Tom Shatel talk Nebraska volleyball’s chances to win the national title, plus they take a look at the Huskers and the transfer portal and the Pinstripe Bowl.

Part 1: Nebraska volleyball in Final Four

The crew opens with Nebraska volleyball headed into the Final Four as the Huskers’ quest for a national championship continues.


The crew opens with Nebraska volleyball headed into the Final Four as the Huskers’ quest for a national championship continues.

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They talk how this team rises to the moment, especially in its Elite Eight win over Wisconsin, and are they a top 10 Husker volleyball team?

The three discuss the incredible sound effect done by the ABC broadcast during the Elite Eight match.

They talk the Penn State matchup and how that may be more difficult for the Huskers than any other matchup in the Final Four. 

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The crew talks the impact of Lexi Rodriguez, who was named a first-team All-American.

Part 2: Transfer portal’s impact on college football

The crew talks the impact — or rather, chaos — of the transfer portal and how it is affecting college football and Nebraska specifically.

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The crew talks the impact — or rather, chaos — of the transfer portal and how it is affecting college football.

They also break down the specific impact it is having on Nebraska’s program. 

The three also discuss potential fixes for the chaos.

Part 3: Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl

The crew talks Nebraska vs. Cincinnati in the Pinstripe Bowl and how Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher saying they will play ever single down.

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They talk Nebraska vs. Cincinnati in the Pinstripe Bowl and how Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher saying they will play ever single down.

They close out with their picks for the bowls games.

Just want to listen?

Listen to the full episode below:

Don’t want to miss an episode? Get the podcast on Apple Music, or check it out on Spotify. Also, find Sam, Tom and Evan on Twitter, plus leave us a comment on The World-Herald Facebook page.

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HUSKER VOLLEYBALL: Nebraska prepares for Final Four match vs. Penn State

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HUSKER VOLLEYBALL: Nebraska prepares for Final Four match vs. Penn State


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WOWT) – Nebraska is back in the Final Four.

The Big Red arrived in Louisville late Tuesday night and will take to the podium Wednesday for their Final Four media availability.

This is the sixth appearance in a national semifinal over the last nine years for John Cook’s Huskers. Their season ended here last year with a loss to Texas in the title game. Now, the Huskers are back on college volleyball’s biggest stage with some unfinished business.

Standing in their way Thursday will be Penn State (33-2). In their only meeting this season, the Nittany Lions beat Nebraska 3-1, forcing the two squads to share the conference title at the end of the season.

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Penn State and Nebraska do battle Thursday at approximately 8 p.m. in at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., following the conclusion of Pittsburgh vs. Louisville, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Both games will be televised on ESPN and streaming on WatchESPN.

2024 NCAA VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

This is a developing story. Check back for more preview of Thursday’s match as well as interviews with Nebraska coaches and players.

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