Allen official expected to take reins of Harim

An unnamed Allen Family Foods official is expected to join the Harim USA team, but no announcement is expected until the sale is finalized.

Allen Family Foods declared bankruptcy in June and Harim, a South Korea-based poultry company was the highest bidder in a July auction. The $48 million sale was set to be finalized in August, but settlement will be pushed back to September as the company irons out details, said Bill Satterfield of the Delmarva Poultry Industry.

Satterfiled declined to name the Allen official, but said the person will take the reins as CEO once the company takes over here. Harim officials have not released the name of the company's expected CEO.

According to recent reports from Harim, the company plans to expand the Cordova processing plant in Maryland, hiring 150 more workers there. The company has also stated it will keep one shift at the Harbeson processing plant, with plans to add a second shift in the near future, eventually bringing the plant back to full capacity in 2012.

Satterfield said Harim plans to expand both the Cordova and Harbeson processing plants to include further processing of products aimed at the Asian community living in the United States. These products could include frozen meals with Asian-style flavors, he said.

"For Harim, having local knowledge in the company 's management will be helpful to the company and will be helpful to the industry locally," said Satterfield. "We look forward to welcoming Harim to the industry and making them a part of the local chicken community."