Cargill announced on Friday that it will buy a South Carolina ground beef plant from FPL Food for an undisclosed price.

The 100,000-square-foot plant is in Columbia, S.C., and employs more than 200 people. The plant enhances Cargill's ability to serve eastern retail and food service customers, the Minnetonka-based company said in a statement.

The deal, which is expected to close later this month, complements Cargill's meat processing facilities in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Cargill's North American beef business is one of the largest hamburger processors in the world, with numerous plants in the United States and Canada.

"Global ground beef demand continues to increase significantly, and U.S. demand is solid," Cargill said in a statement.

Mike Hughlett