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ABF Ingredients has announced plans to purchase land in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as part of a major expansion strategy designed to support the continued growth of its speciality ingredients business, Ohly, across North America.
The investment includes an initial commitment of more than $65 million to build a new state-of-the-art production facility in Eau Claire, which is expected to create nearly 30 jobs.
The new site will complement Ohly’s existing manufacturing operation in Boyceville, Wisconsin, while also providing room for future expansion opportunities for ABF Ingredients in the region.
The company said the decision follows a detailed assessment of the North American market and reflects growing demand for speciality ingredients across food, beverage and nutrition sectors.
Jeremy Xu, CEO of ABF Ingredients, said: “This investment marks an important milestone for our business and our customers. Eau Claire offers the right environment for sustainable, long-term growth, and our new facility will strengthen Ohly’s ability to meet rising demand across North America. We are proud to deepen our roots in Wisconsin.”
Local and state officials welcomed the announcement, highlighting the expected economic impact through job creation, infrastructure investment and regional supply chain development.
Dave Solberg, deputy city manager for the city of Eau Claire, said: "I couldn’t be happier to welcome ABF Ingredients to Eau Claire as they establish their new North American campus for Ohly. The corporate history, vision, and values of ABFI make them a strong fit for our community.”
Aaron White, community development director for the city of Eau Claire, added: "“It is with great pleasure that we welcome ABF Ingredients to the community,” White said. “The company is a leader in their industry and will bring high-paying biomanufacturing jobs, helping pave the way for Eau Claire to grow this industry segment.”
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), which worked with ABF Ingredients during the site selection process, also praised the investment.
Construction is expected to take place in phases over several years, with ABF Ingredients and Ohly working alongside the City of Eau Claire and WEDC on planning, permitting and community engagement activities.
ABF Ingredients is the speciality ingredients division of Associated British Foods plc
and operates globally across the food, health, nutrition, pharmaceutical and industrial sectors. Its portfolio includes businesses such as AB Enzymes, PGP International, SPI Pharma and Ohly, which specialises in yeast derivatives, culinary powders and lipid powders for the global food and beverage market.