Specialty turkey plant coming to Albelmarle

Kelly Turkeys USA Inc. plans to open a $1.4 million poultry production and processing facility in Albemarle County, creating 33 new jobs.

The facility will be the first in the U.S. for Kelly Turkeys, which  grows, breeds and processes high-end heritage breed turkeys through direct and retail markets. Over three years, the company plans to grow production to 10,000 turkeys a year.

Kelly Turkeys U.K., founded in the 1970s in the United Kingdom, is known for its unique breed of turkeys, the KellyBronze turkey. Kelly Turkeys USA will bring the same brand and production methods to Virginia and will produce 100 percent Virginia-grown turkeys.

“The artisan quality of the KellyBronze Turkey fits in perfectly with the local food movement that is so strong in this area,” Judd Culver, owner of Kelly Turkeys USA, said in a statement.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services partnered with Albemarle County to bring the project to Virginia.  Gov. Terry McAuliffe approved a $29,000 grant from the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) to assist with the project, and Albemarle County will provide a $29,000 cash match.