The plant was opened by Indiana governor Eric Holcomb (left) and Walmart's Charles Redfield. © Indiana Economic Development Corp.
Walmart has inaugurated a new dairy processing plant in the US state of Indiana – the retailer’s first foray into food production.
The plant in Fort Wayne – 100 miles northeast of Indianapolis – will produce liquid milk for around 500 of its stores across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. The milk itself is sourced from a network of nearly 30 dairy farms in Indiana and neighbouring Michigan.
It is believed the site will be the largest liquid milk facility of its kind anywhere in the US, creating 300 jobs.
It will produce milk for Walmart’s Great Value brand in whole milk, 1% and 2%-fat milk, skimmed milk and 1%-fat chocolate milk varieties.
A spokesperson for the retailer said the plant represented ‘a major investment’, but decline to say exactly how much the plant had cost.
The company presented the facility during a ceremony involving Indiana governor Eric Holcomb and Walmart’s vice-president of food, Charles Redfield. Walmart had committed to building a dairy plant in Fort Wayne as far back as 2016.
Redfield was quoted by local radio station WBOI as saying: “This specific plant, it’s going to help us provide really high-quality milk at really low prices. You know it’s also making positive impacts not only to customers here in the state but also the workforce and the economy.”
The plant, which covers an area greater than 250,000 square feet, is located south of Fort Wayne near the city’s airport.
Speaking when plans for the facility were announced two years ago, Walmart’s senior vice-president for sourcing strategy, Tony Airoso, explained the rationale behind the decision to move into dairy production: “By operating our own plant and working directly with the dairy supply chain in the Midwest, we’ll further reduce operating costs and pass those savings on to our customers so that they can save money,” Airoso said.
“This facility is an example of how we are always finding efficiencies within the supply chain to deliver everyday low prices and high-quality groceries.”
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