Our Foundation:
After retiring from a 40-year career working in the poultry industry, Davis Lee found an opportunity to start his own poultry company. He had learned a great deal (both good and bad) from his mentors and experiences throughout his career. He had always thought that if he ever owned a company, he would take what he learned to create a company culture that would be the cornerstone of its success. This culture, one of putting its people and its customers as the primary focus, has served as a solid foundation for more than 20 years, and it provides the footing for the strong and growing company we see in AlaTrade today.
Further building on this culture of putting the people and customers of AlaTrade first, Davis Lee made the decision in 2020 to create an ESOP, Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The employees of AlaTrade now effectively own the company where they work.
Our Focus:
Through contracts with our customers, AlaTrade employee-owners have the privilege to process more than 400 million pounds of chicken annually. Along with deboning, we produce marinated and non-marinated products for the foodservice industry nationwide.
AlaTrade is a company that works within the poultry industry to provide services for its customers that choose to outsource a part of their process. The relationship can be as simple as a fee for service (toll processing), or more complex to include co-packing of products for direct distribution. AlaTrade plants have approvals from many national account foodservice companies to produce products for their restaurants.
All plants are BRC certified (quality systems), AMS certified (USDA Grading), and have active USDA Process Verification Programs in place.
Our Future:
An ESOP involves the creation of a trust where employees’ accounts accumulate shares of the company at no cost to them. The shares can increase in value as the company grows over time, allowing the employees to share in the company’s success. AlaTrade is the largest 100% employee owned company based in Alabama.
As a team working together for the same goal, the employee-owners of AlaTrade continue the culture of putting each other and their customers first. Processing poultry is what we do. Promoting people and pursuing profitability for ourselves and our customers is who we are.
Our Mission Statement:
We work together with our customers, employee owners, and community, so they can win.