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How the Perdue Family Built a Poultry Empire Without Going Public
Description
In Episode 49 of Family Business Stories with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into the Perdue family's 100-year grip on the US poultry industry. From Arthur Perdue's backroom egg sales in 1920 to the company's vertically integrated model of farms, feed mills, and hatcheries, they explore how the family kept control while competitors went public and got swallowed. They break down the specific financial mechanics—the use of ESOPs, family trusts, and a rare dual-class structure—that let the Perdues maintain ownership across five generations. The episode also looks at the 2017 handoff to chairman Jim Perdue's son, and why the company still refuses to take on outside equity. A focused, numbers-driven look at a family that built a $5 billion private giant in a commodity business.