Facts we can source about this employer, with the year of every figure.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Smithfield Foods ranks #156 among the 200 largest US-headquartered employers, with about 50,200 employees worldwide (2016). It is headquartered in Virginia.
| Fact ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Rank among the 200 | 156 |
| Headquarters | Virginia |
| Industry | Meat processing |
| Employees (global) | 50,200 (2016) |
| Founded | 1936 |
Headcount is global, includes workers outside the US and may differ from the company's latest annual report.
Smithfield Foods ranks 156 of the 200 largest US-headquartered employers in our list, with about 50,200 employees worldwide (2016). That is roughly the number of people who live in Murray, Utah. Reported revenue was about $14.4 billion in 2015. It was founded 1936.
The company's headquarters state, Virginia, has 8,705,170 residents, a median household income of $93,170 and an unemployment rate of 3.6%. The occupations with the most jobs in the state are Fast Food and Counter Workers (median $30,110); General and Operations Managers (median $122,080); Retail Salespersons (median $34,240); Software Developers (median $136,460); Cashiers (median $30,580). A large employer headquartered there hires from the same pool, plus specialised roles tied to its industry (Meat processing).
Honest limits. The headcount is the company's global figure as reported in its public filings and compiled on Wikipedia. It does not say how many people work at the headquarters, and it does not mean the company is hiring. For open positions, use the company's own careers page, linked in the official links below.
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
The company's home state is Virginia: median household income $93,170, unemployment 3.6%, state income tax: graduated, top rate 5.75%.
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|---|---|---|
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| Company ⇅ | Headquarters ⇅ | Employees ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| PepsiCo | New York | 306,000 |
| Cargill | Minnesota | 155,000 |
| Tyson Foods | Arkansas | 133,000 |
| Archer-Daniels-Midland | Illinois | 44,043 |
| Pilgrim's Pride | Colorado | 35,700 |
About 50,200 worldwide (2016), per the company's reported figure.
Virginia.
It ranks #156 among the 200 largest US-headquartered employers by global headcount.