Appetite for dairy, innovation spurs expansions across U.S.

Editor’s note: Plants in Progress is a special segment spotlighting new facilities and expansion in the U.S. dairy sector. As the industry works to meet new demand, growth and expansion are inevitable. Here, we provide a glimpse into new cheese and dairy plants and expansions across the country — from initial groundbreaking to full operation, and everything in between.

By Alyssa Mitchell

MADISON, Wis. — Americans’ love of cheese and increasing interest in value-added, nutrient-forward foods continues to spur expansion across the U.S. dairy sector, with more than $7 billion in new milk processing capacity currently under construction.

“Long-term trends are positive for dairy demand, and with limited supply growth in major export regions, the U.S. dairy industry is well positioned to take advantage of those trends,” says Mike McCully, owner of McCully Consulting, in a column published this month in Cheese Market News. “Companies are investing in growth and producing products consumers are demanding.”

From artisanal cheese aging caves to multimillion-dollar operations, U.S. manufacturers are investing in the future of the dairy industry with expansions, upgrades, innovations and employee perks.

In our special segment focused exclusively on expansion across the North American dairy landscape, you’ll read about companies making inroads into new products, like cream cheese and ice cream, while others are taking advantage of the growing interest in extended-shelf-life and aseptic products. Some companies are giving a facelift to historic landmarks to honor the traditions of past generations, while universities continue to invest in future generations with world-class, state-of-the-art educational and research facilities.

Please read on for more on these Plants in Progress ...

• Agri-Mark Inc. and Cellars at Jasper Hill, Hardwick, Vermont

Cabot Creamery at the Yellow Barn has been open since late August and celebrated its grand opening last month during Vermont Cheese Week, held Sept. 7-15.

Agri-Mark’s Cabot Creamery Cooperative in 2023 announced it was turning the historic Yellow Barn in Hardwick, Vermont, into its new visitor’s center. The barn was built in the 1800s and most recently served as local business Greensboro Garage until 2017. The building then was bought by the town of Hardwick and was empty until this plan came to fruition.

In August 2023, Evernoth Rural Ventures and Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp. announced an $11.4 million New Markets Tax Credit allocation for the redevelopment of the barn. The funding supported construction of a new 25,137-square-foot food business accelerator and the adaptive reuse of the vacant, historic 4,762-square-foot yellow dairy barn for use as a retail shop, collectively called the Yellow Barn Business Accelerator.

Visitors to the Yellow Barn can buy Cabot’s award-winning dairy products, cheese from other Vermont producers, craft beer, cider and wine, specialty food products and Cabot-branded merch. The co-op also plans to offer tastings, demos and the occasional class in the space with other cheesemakers.

Anchor tenants in the new food business accelerator also include the Hardwick-based nonprofit Center for an Agricultural Economy and Greensboro, Vermont-based Cellars at Jasper Hill. Mateo Kehler, founder and head cheesemaker at Jasper Hill, says the company will be using the space to grow by leveraging the rest of its operations to build cheese inventory and a market that will directly benefit the local dairy farmers from whom it purchases milk and cheese.

• Artisanal Caves LLC, Utica, New York

Artisanal Caves LLC, the operating unit of Artisanal Brands and owner of the Artisanal Premium Cheese brand, is undergoing a significant overhaul of its 18,000-square-foot cheese fulfillment center and bakery in Utica, New York, to build the Cheese Cave and the Wine Cellar & Barrel Room.

Executive Chairman Daniel W. Dowe says the company is making progress internally by upgrading its existing cheese cave and modifying its existing bakery outlet.

“The plans have become more complicated to have a cave that can function as a store but still do the true work of affinage,” he adds. “It required a redesign, but we plan to move ahead on it.”

When complete, the Cheese Cave will offer an extensive variety of domestic and international artisan cheeses aged to peak ripeness. The bakery is being upgraded with seating, along with a Cookie Bar, drive-up window and a wider offering of products.

• Bates Family Farm, Cedar Bluff, Virginia

Bates Family Farm LLC earlier this year announced it will create 12 new jobs and invest nearly $1 million to relocate its Cedar Bluff, Virginia, manufacturing facility to a 40,000-square-foot building owned by Russell County, Virginia, to meet growing consumer demand for its skin care products. The new space will allow for the development of new products, additional product capacity and warehouse space. Additionally, Bates Family Farm will be constructing a new creamery to produce food products, bottled goat milk and artisan cheeses for wholesale and retail distribution.

Joseph Bates, CEO, says there have been some minor delays but the project is still on track. The company is looking to triple the size of its goat herd from 55 to 150 in the coming year, with hopes to launch this spring and begin selling cheese in April.

“We’ll be both a Grade A dairy as well as a skin care business, so we’re able to capture the milk now and use it for other products, but come spring, it will be going into milk and cheese as well,” he says.

Funding for the expansion was given in part through an Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund through the state of Virginia. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Russell County and the Russell County Industrial Development authority to secure the project for the commonwealth. Gov. Glenn Youngkin also approved a $70,000 grant from the AFID Fund, which Russell County will match with local funds.

“This AFID grant award and the support we have received from Russell

County are critical factors in our decision to move forward with this project. We are honored to grow our business in the county we call home and be part of Virginia’s agricultural community,” Bates says, noting the remainder of the funding is coming from Bates Family Farm.

• Dairy State Cheese LLC, Rudolph, Wisconsin

Dairy State Cheese currently is undergoing a project to convert manufacturing to 40-pound block Parmesan. The company, which is owned by Cheese Merchants, has fully commissioned the 40-pound block line and will stopped producing 640-pound blocks in April. It will continue to make American styles for the foreseeable future, notes Mark Dahlstrom, president of Dairy State Cheese.

He adds rather than increase the size of the facility, the project is upgrading the equipment, resulting in increased efficiencies. Dairy State also expanded its employee entrance area and added new amenities.

Four of the company’s eight new cheese vats already are in the plant and will commission by the end of this month, Dahlstrom notes. Additional pieces of equipment will arrive monthly beginning in December as the company progresses toward its expansion goal of 3 million pounds of milk per day.

• Daisy Brand LLC, Boone, Iowa

Daisy Brand LLC, a leading manufacturer and the largest brand of sour cream and cottage cheese in the United States, earlier this year announced it is expanding its operations to Boone, Iowa. Demand for the company’s products has created the need for an additional manufacturing facility, the company says.

Daisy is investing $626.5 million in a 750,000-square-foot facility, creating 106 new jobs to start. This is anticipated to grow up to 255 as demand increases. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board also approved $7 million in direct financial assistance as well as tax benefits for the company.

“Daisy Brand’s investment in Iowa further reinforces our standing as a manufacturing powerhouse and reputation for fostering an environment where businesses succeed and grow,” says Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. “With a third of the nation’s top food manufacturers located in Iowa and 26% of our manufacturing industry attributed to food processing, Iowa and Daisy are a perfect fit. From our dairy industry and farmers to our skilled workforce, there is no better place for Daisy to expand, and I am confident the company will continue to flourish in our great state.”

Daisy Brand is headquartered in Dallas, with existing operations in Texas, Arizona and Ohio. The decision to expand into Iowa was driven by several factors, including Iowa’s agricultural resources and strengths, favorable business environment and strategic location, the company says.

• Danone North America, Jacksonville, Florida

Danone North America last year announced it will invest up to $65 million over the next two years to create a new bottle production line in Jacksonville, Florida. The investment will support Danone North America’s long-term growth strategy and will deliver key benefits across the U.S. business, including advancing operational excellence, enabling flexibility in bottle design, accelerating the company’s sustainability goals and driving cost efficiencies.

The $65 million investment will increase production of several of Danone’s coffee and creamer brands in the United States, including International Delight, Silk and SToK. It also serves to meet consumer demand in these categories while supporting the company’s sustainability goals by reducing overall water consumption, decreasing carbon emissions and accelerating the company’s goal of packaging circularity.

Officials say the new bottle line is expected to be complete by early 2025, and hiring is underway.

• Darigold Inc., Pasco, Washington

Darigold Inc. is constructing a new production facility in Pasco, Washington. When fully operational, the $600 million facility will process approximately 8 million pounds of milk per day from more than 100 dairy farms in surrounding communities.

Allan Huttema, president and CEO of Darigold, says the Pasco facility represents a significant step toward Darigold’s future, solidifying its position as a leading dairy producer and providing a unique opportunity for its farms to grow.

“We believe the arrival of this facility is beneficial not only for our business and our farms but also for Pasco and the surrounding community,” he says.

He adds the company is just a few months away from beginning operations.

When fully operational, the facility will have the capacity to produce approximately 175 million pounds of butter and nearly 280 million pounds of powdered milk annually.

• Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, Wisconsin

In August 2022, Decatur Dairy broke ground on its largest expansion to date. The $6 million, 24,000-square-foot expansion encompasses new whey processing as well as additional space for packaging, dry storage, curing and a new cooler. It also allows for increased production as needed.

Steve Stettler, president and owner of Decatur Dairy, says the building has been completed and is in full use.

“The cold storage and dry storage is in full use. The packaging updates have been completed, the new packaging room and the boxing area are in full use, combining automation and robotics in product handling,” Stettler says. “A new brine has been installed and is close to being put in production. The project was a success, with the increased room making production more efficient. This should increase customer satisfaction and service.”

He adds that with the additional capacity, Decatur Dairy has started making and testing small batches of Baby Swiss.

• fairlife LLC, Webster, New York

fairlife and The Coca‑Cola Co. this past spring ceremonially broke ground on a new state-of-the-art fairlife production facility in Webster, New York.

The Town of Webster was strategically chosen by The Coca‑Cola Co. and fairlife teams for its proximity to the state’s best-in-class dairy cooperatives in the Rochester and Niagara regions, officials say.

Announced in May 2023, the new facility will serve as fairlife’s flagship Northeast location. The facility is expected to generate approximately 250 jobs in the greater Webster, New York, area.

Upon completion, the fairlife production facility will span 745,000 square feet and will stand on approximately 110 acres. The facility will take in 5 million to 6 million pounds of milk per day from local dairy farmers, which will help support ongoing local dairy farm jobs.

The new facility will be optimized for sustainability, utilizing improved efficiencies, new hardware and better monitoring that will together lessen its environmental footprint. Specifically, the Webster facility will have technology that uses storm water for irrigation and cooling; electric vehicle chargers and designated parking spaces; LED intelligent control lighting with clock times, delay timers, photocells and occupancy sensors; and automatic conveyors and HVAC systems that switch off when not in use.

The Webster plant is progressing and on track for completion in the fourth quarter of 2025, officials say.

• Grande Cheese, Chilton, Wisconsin

In August, Grande Cheese Co. held a groundbreaking ceremony signifying the start of renovations and expansion of its Chilton, Wisconsin, facility that it acquired from Foremost Farms last year. Grande Cheese, located in Southeastern Wisconsin, serves as a premier manufacturer of fine Italian Cheeses and specialty whey and lactose products.

Construction will include approximately 20,000 square feet of renovations and 60,000 square feet of new construction. The facility will be the third largest in Grande’s network and primarily produce Mozzarella. Work is expected to be complete in mid-2026, with a combination of new hires and Grande transfers staffing the 75-person facility. Recruitment efforts will begin in the fall of 2025.

• Great Lakes Cheese Co., Franklinville, New York

Great Lakes Cheese Co. is nearing completion on construction of a new cheese manufacturing and packaging plant in Franklinville, New York. With a capital investment exceeding $700 million, the project is both the largest infrastructure investment in the company’s history and the largest privately funded project in New York state, officials say. Hiring is well underway with approximately 400 new employee-owners already hired.

The new plant will replace the existing facility in Cuba, New York, upon completion. Although the Cuba facility is planned to cease operations, the company still is evaluating with state and local officials possible future uses for the site, company officials say.

The Franklinville packaging operation commenced production in February and is on track to be operational in early 2025, officials add.

• High Desert Milk, Burley, Idaho

High Desert Milk is upgrading its facility in Burley, Idaho, with a new cream cheese production line, adding about 17,000 square feet of new production floor space and a starting capacity of 20 million pounds of cream cheese per year. High Desert Milk has the ability to ramp up production to 80 million pounds through future equipment additions, company officials say.

Shawn Burton, chief operating officer at High Desert Milk, says the state-of-the-art facility, which is now 98% complete, is poised to compete well in the cream cheese landscape.

With an advanced cooling system coming online, the plant is ready to handle the most challenging cream cheese formulations, he notes. These new capabilities ensure that even the most complex recipes are perfectly crafted.

“This growth reflects High Desert Milk’s commitment to innovation and its farmer-first approach,” Burton says. “By remaining vertically integrated, the company is not only empowering its farmer-owners but also meeting the demands of a growing market. As the cream cheese plant nears full operation, High Desert Milk is positioned to deliver premium, high-quality products that reflect its core values and dedication to excellence.”

The company will be producing 30-pound commercial-size cream cheese blocks, as well as a 3-pound loaf and 8-ounce brick sizes, and has purchased equipment to add a consumer-size tub within the year. The market for these lines primarily will be private label or co-manufactured products for clients, some of whom currently partner with High Desert Milk, Burton says.

• Hightail, Plainfield, Iowa

Hightail, a dairy farm in Hightail, Iowa, that currently makes ice cream out of a nearby assisted living facility, is adding capacity at its farm in order to introduce cheese curds to its product lineup.

Owner Natalie Paino says it was her dream to take over her family’s dairy farm, which she is now making into a reality. She is in the process of obtaining a cheesemaking license and says she hopes to begin selling the curds by the end of this year, with milk bottling also a possibility down the line. She continues to make and sell ice cream at the assisted living facility where her grandmother resides in nearby Sumner.

Paino notes federal and state grants helped to provide part of the funding to bring in shipping containers to the farm to allow for milking of its approximately 53 registered Holsteins, as well as cheesemaking and cold storage capacity.

• Hiland Dairy Foods Co., Tyler, Texas

Hiland Dairy Foods Co. last month announced the expansion of its Tyler, Texas, operations, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to the community and the local economy. This significant investment will add 90,000 square feet to the existing facility at 200 Fuller Ave., which will include state-of-the-art processing, filling, casing, palletizing, load-out, storage areas and a new laboratory. The expansion is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2026. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 24.

“This expansion is more than just growth in our physical footprint; it’s a commitment to the future of Tyler,” says Rick Beaman, president of Hiland Dairy. “We deeply appreciate the support we’ve received from the city, and we’re excited to continue providing good-paying, stable jobs for this community for years to come.”

With the addition, Hiland Dairy’s Tyler plant will be better equipped to meet the growing demand for high-quality dairy products across Texas.

“This investment is not just about expanding our capabilities — it’s about ensuring that Tyler remains at the heart of Hiland Dairy’s regional operations. The project will provide numerous employment opportunities, contributing to the economic stability of Tyler and its surrounding areas,” says Barry Beaman, general manager of Hiland Dairy’s Tyler plant.

• Hilmar Cheese Co., Dodge City, Kansas

Hilmar Cheese Co. is preparing to commission its state-of-the-art cheese and ingredient facility in Dodge City, Kansas. Construction is complete and equipment installation is being finalized, officials say. The Hilmar team continues to train and prepare employees to produce cheese and high-protein ingredients.
The project represents more than $600 million in capital investment.

• Homestead Creamery, Wirtz, Virginia

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin this summer announced that Homestead Creamery Inc. will invest more than $2.5 million to renovate and expand its Franklin County production facility. The company is constructing a new ice cream production room and installing additional production and refrigeration equipment and freezers in response to increased customer demand for its premium churned ice cream products. Through this expansion, the company will add two new jobs and purchase an additional $1.9 million of Virginia-produced cream over the next three years.

Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr notes Homestead Creamery was the very first recipient of an Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) Facility Grant in 2012.

“I am extremely pleased that we could partner with the company again with another AFID Facility Grant to support this expansion project,” Lohr says. “This project builds on the success of a small, Virginia company and positions Homestead for future growth opportunities.”

Founded in 2001 in Burnt Chimney, Virginia, Homestead Creamery Inc. utilizes high-quality A2A2 milk from its network of local dairy farms to produce a variety of premium drinkable milk, ice cream, eggnog and other dairy products that are sold through retail and wholesale networks. The company also operates an on-site retail market and deli featuring a variety of its dairy products along with Virginia’s Finest and Virginia Grown products.

“Gratitude fills our hearts as we extend our sincerest appreciation to the Governor’s Office, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Franklin County for their generous support of this project,” says Homestead Creamery Inc. Controller Jesse Novak. “This grant will fuel our vision for impactful building improvements, empowering us to better serve our customers and community. Together, we’re nurturing growth, innovation and prosperity.”

VDACS worked with Franklin County to secure this expansion project. Youngkin approved a $20,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Facility Grant program, which Franklin County will match with local funds.

• HP Hood, Winchester, Virginia

HP Hood, a nationally branded dairy processor, recently announced it will invest more than $83.5 million to expand dairy processing operations at its Winchester-area facility in Frederick County, Virginia.

The project includes upgrades to production and packaging equipment as well as construction of additional warehouse and cooler space. HP Hood’s expansion will provide increased production capacity that will fund technology allowing Hood to offer new products, the company says.

“We proudly selected this location to build a greenfield plant more than 24 years ago and have been grateful for the ongoing support of Frederick County and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” says Gary Kaneb, president and CEO of HP Hood. “This expansion enables us to continue to grow Hood’s business and accommodate the needs of our customers, and continue to provide a market for local dairy farms through our local milk cooperative network.”

HP Hood’s milk cooperative network includes Dairy Farmers of America and the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association.

The expansion is underway and expected to be completed by the end of this year, says Sarah Barow, senior director of communications for HP Hood.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also approved a $50,000 infrastructure grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, which Frederick County will match with local funds.

• Idaho Milk Products, Jerome, Idaho

Idaho Milk Products recently held a groundbreaking event for its recently announced new sustainable ice cream and powder blending plant at its Jerome, Idaho, campus. This marks the company’s entry into the ice cream market

The plans unveiled in late August include the construction of a $200 million dual ice cream and powder blending facility. The company’s entry into the ice cream business comes with a focus on premium indulgent and functional recipes in both bulk and novelty formats, while blending capabilities will support the ice cream business and create capabilities to provide custom formulations to both existing and new customers, officials say.

John Murphy, vice president of operations at Idaho Milk Products, says construction of the custom-designed 183,000-square-foot plant is expected to be substantially complete by early 2026, with full commercial production by May 2026.

Kevin Quinn, vice president of sales and marketing, notes that the inclusion of a blending facility in the new plant creates new ways to service customers and add to the benefits of Idaho Milk Products’ vertically integrated model.

“We have the freshest, best-quality cream in the market, and the project was initially born out of the conviction to add incremental value to a portion of that product stream,” Quinn says.

“We work hard every day to maintain our position as a global leader in milk protein concentrates and isolates,” adds Daragh Maccabee, CEO of Idaho Milk Products, emphasizing that the company’s commitment to its core business remains.

“At the same time, we constantly seek out new ways to add value to our milk, always doing so in a way that is sustainable for the longer term,” Maccabee says. “Our vision for this plant is to build on the strength of our existing business and leverage our Milk Innovation Center, the strength of our R&D team and the unique synergies that this business will create.”

The team at Idaho Milk Products believes that this project builds on the company’s purpose, is a natural extension of its existing model and has the potential to create one of the world’s most sustainable ice cream businesses.

The production facility, located in the dairy heartland of Idaho’s Magic Valley, has received support from the City of Jerome and the State of Idaho.

• Leprino Foods Co., Lubbock, Texas

Leprino Foods continues construction on its new 850,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Lubbock, Texas, which it broke ground on in 2022.

Officials say the first phase of the project is on track for a startup in early 2025, with the ability to process 4 million pounds of milk per day, and Leprino Foods is actively ramping up its hiring efforts.

“Currently, we have approximately 60 employees and plan to grow to around 430 by the end of May 2025,” officials say. “As we complete the second phase of the facility and reach full capacity in 2026, we expect to have a total employee population of approximately 600 people.”

• Oregon State University Extension, Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University (OSU) Extension is in the process of a renovation of a former school theater that is being revamped to accommodate a dairy pilot plant and creamery. The dairy is working with contractors on scaling up automation to enable smart manufacturing in the future, says Lisbeth Goddik, OSU Dairy Processing Extension specialist.

“We’d like the pilot plant to be a showcase for the next generation in manufacturing,” she says.

Total square footage of the creamery itself is estimated to be 4,500 square feet, she adds, noting there also is a planned quality control lab not included in that estimate, as well as a teaching lab for students.

Goddik notes the dairy plans to start testing the process lines in January. The project is expected to be complete in spring 2025.

• Renard’s Cheese, Algoma, Wisconsin

Renard’s Cheese, a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated cheesemaking business in Door County, Wisconsin, late last year broke ground on a new production facility on County Highway S in Algoma, Wisconsin. The expansion, which encompasses three phases, will include a new production facility as well as an on-site exact-weight cut-and-wrap operation and warehouse.

The company is putting the finishing touches on the first phase of the 50,000-square-foot project, says Ann Renard, co-owner of Renard’s Cheese. The exact-weight cut and wrap is in full operation, and new vats and presses, including a trial vat, are installed, she says. A new wastewater holding system also is in place.

Renard notes that phase 2 is a bit behind, wrapping up by the end of October to mid-November.

“We are fine-tuning the details and plans for phase 3,” Renard says. “Our target break ground window of time is spring to early summer of 2025, dependent on lead times for supplies, with an expected build time of 12 to 14 months. The third phase will allow us to increase our manufacturing capacity from approximately 4 million pounds to 12 million pounds, conservatively.

“Although delayed, the overall results and efficiencies gained from phases 1 and 2 were significant,” she adds. “Being in a manufacturing facility that was built in 1919, with minimal updates and improvements until recently, we are proud to have utilized this facility to its fullest. Smart growth, budgeting and employee training are all necessary to ensure the continued success of Renard’s Cheese.”

• Saputo Dairy USA, Franklin, Wisconsin

Operations have commenced at a greenfield facility in Franklin, Wisconsin, to consolidate and modernize Saputo Dairy USA’s cut-and-wrap activities. This state-of-the-art facility is now the center of Saputo’s expanded cut-and-wrap capabilities in the Midwest.

The new facility represents an investment of C$240 million and is slated to be operating at full capacity by the third quarter of fiscal 2025.

• Schreiber Foods, Wyoming, Michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer earlier this year announced a Schreiber Foods project among business expansions that have received support from the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF).

Schreiber Foods Inc. is expanding in Kent County, Michigan. The company is experiencing significant growth and increasing customer demands, particularly for its consumer beverage products. To meet this demand, take advantage of growing business opportunities and ensure operational efficiency, Schreiber Foods is investing in additional capabilities while renovating its existing building space.

“Schreiber Foods’ decision to expand their Wyoming (Michigan) operations underscores our region’s business-friendly climate, especially in the food processing and manufacturing space,” says Brent Case, vice president of business attraction at The Right Place and project lead. “The Right Place is excited to see their continued success in our region.”

The Right Place is greater Grand Rapids, Michigan’s leading economic development organization, offering comprehensive business assistance services to growing companies.

The Schreiber project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $59.4 million and create 32 new jobs with the support of a $198,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. In addition to MSF support, The Right Place has offered support in the form of staff time and assistance.

“We’re excited to grow our beverage plant in Wyoming, Michigan, and bring new jobs to the community. This investment sets us up to continue being an essential ingredient in our customers’ success,” says Jim Mackey, global tax manager, Schreiber Foods. “We look forward to continuing to build on our strong relationship with the city of Wyoming and the state of Michigan. We’re extremely proud to be part of the Grand Rapids community with all that it has to offer our employees and our business. We want to give back to that community as we look to do good through food and make a difference.”

• Shamrock Farms, Verona, Virginia

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin this week announced that Shamrock Farms will invest $59 million to expand its manufacturing operation in Verona, Virginia. The project will create 28 new jobs and add 81,000 square feet to the company’s existing 250,000-square-foot facility in Mill Place Commerce Park.

The expansion coincides with Shamrock Farms’ 10th anniversary of operations in the Commonwealth.

“Shamrock Farms’ decade of growth and investment in Augusta County is a powerful endorsement of Virginia’s business climate,” Youngkin says. “By enhancing their production capabilities here, Shamrock is helping to ensure that high-quality, locally produced dairy products continue to reach markets across the East Coast.”

“We are deeply grateful for the dedication and support from our associates and partners in Virginia — they have been instrumental in fueling remarkable growth for Shamrock Farms and allowed us to innovate in both products and processing,” adds chairman and CEO of Shamrock Foods Co. and third generation of McClelland family leadership Kent McClelland. “During this decade of expansion, Shamrock has added nearly 170 jobs in Virginia, and we remain committed to long-term economic growth and investment in this community for years to come.”

Shamrock Farms, a fourth-generation, family-owned business established in 1922 in Phoenix, Arizona, has grown into one of the largest family-owned dairy businesses in the nation. The company employs approximately 6,000 people nationwide with two milk manufacturing plants. The Augusta County facility opened in 2014 and focuses on producing extended-shelf-life (ESL) dairy products and serves markets across the East Coast.

The expansion project will increase the facility’s manufacturing capacity by reconfiguring space to accommodate a new production line and adding incremental cold storage. As a result of this project, over the next four years, the company will purchase an additional $32.9 million, or 16.6 million pounds, of milk from Virginia dairy cooperatives. This project marks Shamrock’s second major expansion in Augusta County, following a $40 million investment in 2017 that created more than 70 jobs.

• Suntado LLC, Burley, Idaho

Suntado this year commissioned its new state-of-the-art facility in Burley, Idaho, seeking to meet demand for value-added beverages that offer storage, transportation and supply chain efficiencies.

Suntado LLC is a vertically integrated co-packer owned by Dirk Reitsma and Jesus Hurtado, who both manage their own dairies that supply milk to the facility. Their vision — to leverage
Southern Idaho’s bountiful milk supply at economically efficient prices — has come to life as Suntado, which began operations in June, sets its sights on meeting the surging demand for aseptic and ESL beverages while providing a sustainable solution to the industry’s pressing challenges.

Breaking ground two years ago, the multimillion-dollar facility has the capacity to process approximately 800,000 pounds of local milk per day.

Tory Nichols, office of the CEO, business development, for Suntado LLC, notes that demand for aseptic and ESL products is ramping up both in the United States and internationally.

“Our owners had the vision to be one of the first vertically integrated Class I and Class II facilities in Idaho,” Nichols says. “The U.S. is continuing to adopt and understand that aseptic/ESL milk is high-quality milk that offers storage flexibilities.”

Suntado LLC is utilizing a premium package for the aseptic and ESL dairy beverages that features the functionality and performance of a bottle with the sustainability benefits of a carton. Carton packages deliver natural light protection, and their carbon footprint typically is lower when compared to equivalent, fossil-based plastic packaging. The shape also adds to distribution efficiencies — square or rectangular shapes are easier to stack, store and transport compared to circular or oval-shaped plastic bottles or pouches.

Nichols notes that as a contract manufacturer, Suntado offers a range of co-packing capabilities for aseptic and ESL organic and conventional milk including plain, 1% and 2% varieties, lactose-free options, flavored milks and plant-based beverages. Suntado also produces half-and-half, creamers, cold-brew coffees, whipping cream and ready-to-drink nutrition beverages, but more than 90% of the plant is for Class I and Class II value-added dairy products.

Nichols notes that Suntado is not producing its own branded products, but rather serves as a co-packer for its customers’ brands and private label. As a vertically integrated plant with its own milk supply,

Suntado provides customers with the opportunity for cost efficiencies. Companies also benefit from bringing products to market quickly.

“We’re strictly a co-packer, so we make the product and our customers generally pick it up to distribute it across their network. So while we’re based in Idaho, we’re a national supplier,” Nichols says.

The Suntado plant currently stands at about 190,000 square feet, with room to expand. By the end of this year, Nichols expects the plant to yield anywhere from 600,000-800,000 pounds of dairy per day. The facility currently runs four production lines for beverages ranging from 250 milliliters to 1 liter in size and two ESL production lines ranging from 500 milliliters to 2 liters. The facility is poised to expand to 16-18 production lines in the future, ensuring it meets the growing demands of its customers.

• Tillamook County Creamery Association, Decatur, Illinois

Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) last year announced plans to open an ice cream manufacturing facility in Decatur, Illinois. The Decatur facility is TCCA’s first owned and operated manufacturing facility outside of Oregon and is the only facility solely dedicated to ice cream production.

It previously was owned by Prairie Farms, which also used it for ice cream production until it was closed in early 2022.

“TCCA’s new ice cream manufacturing facility in Decatur, Illinois, is progressing as planned and construction is going well. We expect to have the plant up and running by January 2025,” says Jenna Cerruti, corporate communications manager, TCCA.

“We’re building an impressive team,” she adds. “About a dozen Decatur-based employees have been hired so far. By January, we expect to hire about 48 employees.”

In addition to the construction happening at the plant, Cerruti notes TCCA has been strengthening ties in the Decatur community with local event sponsorships and employee volunteering at local nonprofits.

The new plant will manufacture Tillamook family-size (48 ounce) ice cream as well as Tillamook foodservice (3 gallon) ice cream.

• University of Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment Rupert, Idaho

The first phase of construction of the University of Idaho-led Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Idaho CAFE) — comprising rough grading of open-lot corrals and dairy lagoons and construction of a 60-cow rotary milking parlor — is nearing completion.

Work on additional construction phases to add facilities and amenities needed to run a modern Idaho dairy soon will commence, and the facility is on schedule to be commissioned by early 2026.

Construction of phase two also is beginning soon and will include additional site work and the addition of a commodity barn, a calving and research barn and an office building with classroom space, says John O’Connell, assistant director of communications for the University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Idaho CAFE, which will be located on 640 acres of U of I-owned farmland north of Rupert, Idaho, will include the nation’s largest research dairy and an associated demonstration farm, where the intersections of animal and crop agriculture will be studied. The dairy will include state-of-the-art designs and technology and will be representative of Idaho dairies.

The dairy will open with about 400 cows and eventually will have the capacity to house as many as 2,000 cows. Pens, shades and manure management will also be added in a future phase, partially through University of Idaho’s partnership with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and funding that Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, was successful in directing toward the project.

The center will be a leader in addressing constraints on water usage and environmental quality while supporting the agricultural sectors of dairy, livestock and cropland, as well as the food processing industries.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison and USDA Agricultural Research Service, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) this summer hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a world-class dairy research facility that will expand the two organizations’ long-standing partnership to tackle key issues affecting dairy farms across the country.

Scheduled for completion in 2027 and administered by ARS’ U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in partnership with UW-Madison CALS, the new facility and its associated buildings will house robotic milking systems, chambers for measuring greenhouse gas emissions, an advanced animal nutrition unit and state-of-the-art laboratories for agronomy and dairy science, as well as a visitor center.

“The construction of this new facility represents a continuum of cooperative research between ARS and UW-Madison CALS that builds on achievements of the past to meet the evolving needs of our dairy producers now and in the future,” says ARS Administrator Simon Liu.

Located on a 42-acre site about a 45-minute drive from Madison, Wisconsin, the new facility will broaden both laboratory and field research aimed to improve soil health, forage production, forage quality, dairy nutrition, nutrient-use efficiency, ecosystem service, milk production and resiliency in the face of climate change.

“Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland, and we take very seriously our responsibility to conduct relevant research that can be put to use by our dairy farmers,” says Glenda Gillaspy, dean of UW-Madison CALS. “The partnership between UW-Madison and USDA has allowed us to amplify our collaborations with the state’s dairy industry, and we look forward to that continuing with this new facility.”

• Upstate Niagara Cooperative, West Seneca, New York

In one of the largest expansion projects in its history, Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc. this summer announced it is working on plans for a $150 million project that will more than double the size and capacity of its West Seneca, New York, operations hub.

Upstate Niagara has proposed a 250,000-square-foot addition to its existing 222,851-square-foot facility at 3300 North America Drive.

According to a document from the Wyoming County, New York, website, Upstate Niagara officials say the expansion will result in the company increasing its employment at the West Seneca site by 54%, rising from the current 240 workers to 370 employees.

The expansion project will “add significant manufacturing capacity and storage of finished products,” the company says.

The project is the largest undertaking, in terms of size and cost, for Upstate Niagara.

Plans call for the building’s development price tag to be approximately $60 million, with Upstate Niagara investing another $90 million in new equipment. Within the expanded area, space will be devoted to manufacturing products such as milk, yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese.

Officials say the expansion project should be completed by late 2026.

• Valley Natural Beverages, Bakersfield, California

Valley Natural Beverages, a state-of-the-art ESL and aseptic UHT dairy bottling facility located in Bakersfield, California, is nearing completion of phase one of facility construction.

A division of California Dairies Inc. (CDI), the creation of Valley Natural Beverages, co-owned by more than 300 dairy families located in the heart of California, first was announced in 2021.

The project is located in northern Kern County, a region with significant milk production but no local processing facilities. Not only will this investment significantly reduce the transportation distances of milk produced in Kern County, it also will further demonstrate CDI’s commitment to sustainable solutions by incorporating renewable energy sources and waste conservation as key priorities in the facility and operational design, company officials say.

The facility is expected to bring nearly 350 jobs to the area.

The first phase of the project encompasses 200,000 square feet, and the full build-out is expected to be north of 400,000 square feet. The location also provides the facility access to water, power and wastewater.

The facility will lean heavily into automation, limiting the amount of manual labor and warehouse jobs, but it intends to create an opportunity for highly skilled workers. The industry 4.0 jobs that will be provided include the proper management of robotic systems, and on-the-job training will be extensive to maintain the equipment, company officials say. (For a video sneak peak into the new facility, visit www.valleynaturalbeverages.com/blank-4.)

• Wells Enterprises, Dunkirk, New York

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, joined by Wells Enterprises’ company leadership, employees and community stakeholders, this summer announced that Wells Enterprises is significantly expanding its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Dunkirk, New York. The $425 million project will increase capacity of its current ice cream production, create new capabilities for future innovation and add a first-of-its-kind chocolate manufacturing facility within the plant to use for ingredients in its ice cream and novelty products.

The investment will enable the company to add 270 new jobs and retain approximately 380 full-time jobs. It will be one of the largest single private investments ever made in Chautauqua County.

New York state is supporting the project with up to $12 million in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits and a $6 million grant from Empire State Development in exchange for job creation and capital investment commitments. The County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency also is working with the management team of Wells to provide support that will expedite the project.

Wells Enterprises Inc. is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Founded in 1913 by Fred H. Wells and run by the Wells family for generations, the company is an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group, one of the global leaders in sweet, packaged foods.

CMN

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