Work Starts on New $600M Cheese Plant in Midwest

Cheese and dairy-based ingredients maker Hilmar Cheese Co. Inc. held a ground breaking event on September 30 to mark the start of work on its new cheese and whey protein processing facility in Dodge City, KS.

Initially investing $600 million in the plant, the company is expected to commit an additional $500 million to the facility by late 2023, according to a release issued by the Kansas Department of Commerce.

“This community has a local and skilled labor force, a supportive and expanding agriculture region, and an excellent transportation network,” David Ahlem, president and chief executive officer of Hilmar Cheese, said in a statement. “It is a great location to invest in the future.”

250 full time jobs will be created through the opening of the plant and another 750 roles will open at the site as a result of the second investment.

State-of-the-art instrumentation and control systems will be installed to minimize the facility’s water use and recycled water will be used in processing protein, cleaning the facility and equipment, and for waste heat reclamation, Hilmar Cheese detailed in a separate company release. New equipment, instrumentation, and automation will lower the amount of energy used by the facility.

Hilmar Cheese first announced plans for the Dodge City project in May 2021.