The privately-run business owned by the Epprecht family and headquartered in Hiram, Ohio, already has eight plants spread across Ohio, New York, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin. The new site will be located in Abilene, Texas, with the project expected to create 500 jobs on the back of the $184.5m investment.
Great Lakes Cheese was founded in 1958 and supplies retail and foodservice customers in the US with a range of natural cheeses in block, shredded and sliced formats. The line-up includes cheddars, feta, blue and goat’s cheeses, mozzarella and gorgonzola, amongst others.
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Dan Zagzebski, the CEO of the business, which opens its shareholdings to employees, said: “Great Lakes Cheese makes decisions with a long-term perspective, one that spans generations. We are honoured to be welcomed by Texas and invited to bring our ownership culture to the Abilene community.”
The Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA) is contributing funding for the project via a $33.3m incentive package, while the company is also getting undisclosed grants from the Veteran’s Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund from the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Misty Mayo, the president and CEO of the DCOA, added: “This is exactly the kind of opportunity the DCOA is tasked to find and win for our community, and we are finalising a deal that will bring tremendous opportunity to Abilene.”
Just Food has contacted Great Lakes Cheese for an idea of when the plant is expected to be operational and the types of cheeses it will produce.
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