Ice Cream Manufacturer Announces $145M Plant Expansion

Ice cream producer Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream is launching a $145 million project to add two new production lines for Drumstick products at its Fort Wayne, IN production site, local business organization Greater Fort Wayne Inc. announced Tuesday.

The announcement comes after the company recently completed effort to add another Drumstick line to the Fort Wayne plant.

“We have been serving customers across the US our delicious and quality ice cream for over 35 years from our Fort Wayne facility, and are very excited to continue to grow our capacity and team to make more ice cream with this sizable investment,” Julia Zirpoli, the plant’s manager, said in a release.

Some 400 workers are currently employed at the site. About 145 new jobs are expected to be created as a result of the investment.

As Dreyer’s prepares to boost production in Indiana, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) revealed plans last week to shutter the DFA Brands Ice Cream LLC plant Decatur, IN by the end of this year. About 150 workers will be impacted.