Walmart announces new case-ready beef plant in Olathe, Kansas
Jun. 26—Walmart recently announced plans for its first owned and operated case-ready beef plant, opening in 2025.
The new facility is set to break ground later this year in Olathe, Kansas, and is expected to create more than 600 jobs.
In a statement attributed to David Baskin, senior vice president of deli, meat and seafood, and Bruce Heckman, vice president of manufacturing, private brands, the company said: "Since then, we've implemented strategies to ensure our customers can purchase excellent beef that delivers tremendous value with last year's equity investment in Sustainable Beef LLC. Once opened, our new facility in Kansas will package and distribute a selection of angus cuts from Sustainable Beef LLC in North Platte, Nebraska, to serve our stores across the Midwest."
Walmart, the nation's largest grocer, announced in 2019 its entry into the beef industry, developing what it said was "an end-to-end supply chain for Angus beef."
"As clean labels, traceability and transparency become more and more important to customers, we've made plans to enter into the beef industry creating an unmatched system that allows us to deliver consistent quality and value," Scott Neal, senior vice president for meat, Walmart U.S., said at the time.
The retailer's new supply chain effort will create a steady demand for ranchers and feed yards offering stability in the marketplace. In addition, more than 250 jobs were to be created in Kansas at Creekstone Farms' beef processing facility with another 200 plus jobs in Georgia where the retailer owns a case-ready facility that will be run by FPL Food.
Walmart also said in 2022 said it had reached an agreement with Sustainable Beef to acquire a minority stake in the rancher-owned company based in North Platte, Nebraska. The retailer said it is part of a partnership to source top-quality angus beef from Sustainable Beef's beef processing facility. Walmart said its investment will help Sustainable Beef open its own beef processing facility in North Platte in 2024, creating more than 800 jobs.
In a statement, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said of the Olathe announcement: "Technological advances in the food supply chain continue to reshape the industry. Walmart's innovative new facility further solidifies Kansas' position as one of the nation's top food and agriculture states."
