Perdue Farms Named 2026 PDMA Outstanding Corporate Innovator

SALISBURY, Md. – August 19, 2026 – Perdue Farms has won the Product Development and Management Association’s (PDMA) 2026 Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award, recognizing the company's ability to create lasting value through innovation for more than a century. 

Now in its 39th year, the PDMA OCI Award recognizes industry-leading processes and practices, with organizations selected from a pool of entrants from around the world. Winners are evaluated through a rigorous, highly competitive process—and Perdue is proud to be recognized in this year’s contest.

Innovation is in Perdue’s DNA. For 106 years, the company has grown by listening closely to consumers, anticipating changing needs and placing a relentless focus on finding better ways to deliver value. Those enduring principles were brought to life through Frank Perdue’s pioneering work in the 1980s, branding and marketing PERDUE® fresh chicken directly to consumers—a first for our industry. Today, Perdue continues to build on the same unwavering commitment to quality and integrity that has guided the company for generations.

At the heart of Perdue's innovation journey, located just a few miles from headquarters in Salisbury, Maryland, is the Perdue Farms Innovation Center. Inside the center, a team of passionate and creative Research & Development associates collaborate with cross-functional teams to match the right process with the right opportunities at the right time. Their work has produced impactful innovations that are shaping the future of premium protein, including PERDUE® POWERED™, developed to authentically meet growing demand for high-protein foods without sacrificing taste or texture, the PERDUE® Air Fryer Ready™ line, making restaurant-quality wings and bites accessible at home, and  PERDUE® SHORTCUTS®, simplifying everyday meal preparation. Alongside these innovative solutions, the company continues to bring creativity and cultural moments to consumers through products like Six Seven Nuggets and Safari Nuggets.

“At Perdue, innovation begins with a simple but powerful commitment: to listen deeply, think boldly and create with purpose,” said Brice Westring, Senior Vice President and Head of Research & Development. “By staying close to consumers, customers and the changing needs of the marketplace, we turn insight into meaningful solutions that make people’s lives better and reflect the values that have guided Perdue for more than a century. We are honored to receive the PDMA Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award because it celebrates the spirit that continues to move us forward—a culture of curiosity, collaboration and continuous improvement powered by the creativity and dedication of our associates.”

“My grandfather, Frank Perdue, believed that if you build with unlimited quality and total integrity, success will take care of itself,” said Chris Perdue, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Digital. “That philosophy is what drives our innovation today. For us, innovation isn’t about chasing the next line extension; it’s about honoring our family’s legacy and commitment to doing things the right way while using modern innovation to better serve our consumers. Our family remains deeply involved in this journey, and we are proud to see our associates and farm partners carrying it forward with purpose, creativity, and care.”

Innovation at Perdue isn't confined to a single team or function, and it doesn’t stop with products—it's rooted in stewardship and long-term thinking. From advancing animal care and becoming the first major poultry company to offer No Antibiotics Ever across all chicken products, to improving transportation operations and sustainability across its vertically integrated business, innovative strategies are driving growth across the company’s entire supply chain. 

The 2026 PDMA Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award recognizes organizations that create long-term value through innovation. For Perdue, the recognition affirms what has guided the company for generations: innovation is at its best when it begins by listening, solves real problems, and earns the trust of consumers every day. 

About Perdue Farms: We’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services. Perdue Foods consists of a premium protein portfolio, including our flagship PERDUE® brand, Niman Ranch®, Coleman Natural®, Pasturebird®, and Yummy®, as well as our pet brands, Full Moon® and Spot Farms®, and is available through various channels including retail, foodservice, club stores and our direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com. Perdue AgriBusiness is a leading merchandiser, processor, and exporter of agricultural products and the largest U.S. manufacturer of specialty, organic, and non-GMO oils. It also ranks as one of the largest suppliers of organic feed ingredients in the world. Now in our company’s second century, we never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever and in USDA-certified organic proteins. Learn more at Corporate.PerdueFarms.com.