The Perdue family owns Perdue Farms, one of the leading poultry and agribusinesses in the United States. Now in its fifth generation and headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, the company was founded by Arthur and Pearl Perdue in 1920.
Arthur’s son, Frank Perdue, took over the leadership of the family chicken business in the 1950s and expanded its reach through partnerships with local farmers. Frank became well-known as the company’s pitchman in popular commercials that began airing in 1971. He died in 2005 after building one of the largest poultry businesses in America.
Frank’s son, Jim Perdue, started in the family firm as a management trainee in 1983 and became the company’s chairman in 1991. Among other initiatives, Jim spearheaded Perdue’s international expansion and brought the company into the premium protein space with the acquisition of pork operations in 2005. In 2017, Jim’s sons, Chris and Ryan Perdue, first appeared with their father in TV advertisements that have become synonymous with the company.
Chris Perdue is the company’s director of e-commerce, while his brother serves as VP general manager of pet treats. Ryan and Chris represent the family business’ fourth generation and joined the company in 2010 and 2013, respectively. The annual revenue of Perdue Farms is $7.3 billion.
