Pure Prairie Poultry in Charles City Sold, City Learns of Sale Through Utility Account Change

The former Pure Prairie Poultry facility in Charles City has been sold, a development Mayor Dean Andrews says the City learned about, almost by accident.

Pitman Farms of California has purchased PPP, which will be their second go round in Charles City. Pitman owned and ran the chicken processing plant previously as Simply Essentials, which closed in 2019.

City Administrator Tyler Trout says contact with Pitman has been limited thus far (as of Monday).

One area of “handling” the City wants to address is water usage. When PPP shut its doors in October 2024, it owed the City some $625,000 in unpaid water and sewer fees. Andrews says it’s an area they stressed when a holding company approached them last fall about a potential buyer.

In January, the City Council officially approved a settlement payment of about $540,000, with the understanding it might help facilitate the possible sale of PPP to potential new investors and operators.

As to what’s next?

Pitman first purchased the plant in 2017, but by August 2019, upwards of 500 employees were out of jobs when Simply Essentials shut down.