OUR PROCESSING FACILITY

Catfish Processed with Care and Quality Assurance

Heartland Catfish Company’s catfish processing facility and corporate headquarters are located on a 50-acre site along US Highway 82, in Itta Bena, MS. In our 135,000 square-foot facility, we employ the latest and most technologically advanced catfish processing in the industry. Every stage of the process from live-fish receiving to product shipment utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and systems. This allows us to provide our customers with the highest-quality catfish products accurately, consistently and efficiently.

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Receiving and Processing

Producing the best catfish products requires careful attention to temperature control throughout the supply chain. Our catfish processing facility is designed so that temperatures are consistently monitored and controlled.

Processing Stages

Chill Water Tanks

Spiral Freezers

Processing Floors

Storage Freezers

Storage Coolers

Loading Docks

Every stage is carefully calibrated to preserve the quality of your product, from tank to loading dock.
 
The same automated systems also allow the Heartland Catfish team to control the flow of product throughout the processing line. Our breadth of product offerings is made possible through the systems that monitor, grade and weigh the individual fish before and after processing to ensure true net weights and accurate sizing. Having the ability to grade live fish by size allows us to adapt our equipment to the correct size throughout the day, ensuring smooth, clean cuts that meet strict quality standards for appearance and texture of the finished product.

Food Safety and
Quality Assurance

As the largest vertically integrated U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish producer in the nation, we employ some of the latest and most technologically advanced catfish processing techniques available today.

Heartland Catfish has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help set the standard for the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) oversight of the catfish industry. This strong partnership has elevated Heartland Catfish Company’s Itta Bena, Mississippi facility as a showcase plant for USDA FSIS thanks to its reputation for quality control and assurance. Heartland Catfish Company is committed to producing the highest quality products and protecting consumer safety.

Exceeding Quality Assurance Standards

As a U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish producer, Heartland Catfish operates under a U.S. Department of Commerce Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) program designed to ensure product safety and economic integrity while guaranteeing product specification parameters are met or exceeded. Our facilities operate at the highest HACCP level, resulting in a higher-rated product than the rest of the catfish industry.

Third-party auditing firms regularly inspect our facilities for compliance with Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards and requirements. BAP standards cover a range of issues such as Product Safety, Economic Integrity, Socioeconomic Responsibility, Workplace Safety, Employee Compensation and Environmental Protection.

Heartland Catfish Company maintains the most stringent flavor standards in the industry. The industry’s most experienced and respected flavor checker is on staff to enforce flavor standards and check each load of fish prior to processing. This ensures a consistent flavor profile throughout the year.

Storage and Shipping
Largest Freezing Capacity
in the Industry

Heartland Catfish Company has the ability to freeze 25,000 pounds of fillets every hour and the flexibility to freeze 100 percent of its production. This is key to managing both fresh and frozen orders to ensure high order fill rates. The freezing capacity also prevents Heartland Catfish from keeping fresh fish in ice totes for several days while awaiting freezer space. This food safety feature prevents high bacterial plate counts and inferior flesh texture and appearance.

Our large freezing ability allows for easy adjustments to the fresh and frozen mix of production in times of high demand for individually quick-frozen (IQF) products but low supply of raw materials, resulting in higher fill rates of frozen products for our valued customers.