Meat processor Deli Star to employ nearly 500 in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (AP) - An Illinois meat processor is planning to relocate to midtown St. Louis, bringing nearly 500 jobs to the area.

Deli Star Corp., of Fayetteville, Illinois, is in the midst of renovating more than 100,000 square feet of space at the the Villa Lighting Building in St. Louis, where production of the Deli Star's slow-cooked meats, deli logs, salads, sauces and plant-based products will begin next year, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Missouri officials have said the move represents a $99 million investment.

Deli Star's headquarters had been located 35 miles southeast of St. Louis in Fayetteville for 34 years until a fire in January destroyed its production facilities.

At the end of 2020, the company employed 150, including workers at a Belleville, Illinois, plant that produces sauces, marinades and confectionary items.