Green Meadows Foods Bring $437 Million Impact to Region 12.10.08
HULL, Iowa - One of the newest cheese factories in the United States, Green Meadows Foods of Hull, Iowa, hosted its grand opening Nov. 22.
The cheese plant is estimated to bring $437 million impact in economic development to the region and will employ 85 people at one of the largest cheese factories in the country.
The operation begins with a startup capacity to process 2.4 million pounds of milk a day. Green Meadows will produce 80 million pounds of cheese a year, including 11 different varieties of American and Italian cheeses. In addition, 47 million pounds of dried whey powders will be extracted from the milk.
“Northwest Iowa was a natural choice for Green Meadows. The region, from Sioux Falls down to Sioux City, is on the radar of members of the dairy industry across the country because of its prime location for growth,” said Shep Ysselstein, owner and founder. “We wanted to expand opportunities for regional dairy producers and keep their milk local. We're going to do everything we can to grow the dairy industry in our region.”
The plant is a 10-year in-the-making dream of Ysselstein. He runs a 7,000-head dairy farm outside Rock Valley, Iowa, and was looking to develop additional opportunities for milk processing in the area. When cheese and whey production looked like the best fit for the area, he moved to secure a market and leadership team, led by Tim Czmowski as general manager and Daryl Larson, director of operations. In 2007, construction of the facility began inside the warehouse of the Foreign Candy Company.
Green Meadows will draw their milk source from dairy providers within approximately a 100-mile radius. They signed a long-term milk supply agreement with Land O'Lakes of Arden Hills, Minn., in August.
“We have a long-standing relationship with many members of Green Meadows management team, and a high level of trust and understanding. We believe the dairy business is founded on trust and good relationships - that's one of the reasons we started talking about doing business together,” said Ray Cherry, Land O'Lakes director of procurement operations.
Before production began, Green Meadows had sold 100 percent of its cheese production to Masters Gallery Foods, Inc. of Plymouth, Wis. Masters Gallery will distribute the cheese nationwide through local grocery store brands, foodservice channels and restaurants and to cheese users for further processing in food products.
Whey will be sold domestically and internationally. Whey is a byproduct of cheese, a watery liquid that remains after cheese curds are formed. It is used as an excellent source of protein, and is frequently used as a nutritional supplement.
Green Meadows' state-of-the-art facility is poised for growth - with plans for phase two of expanding to the processing of 5 million pounds of milk per day. This would put Green Meadows among the top cheese producers in the nation.
Economic impact studies conducted by Iowa State University indicated that Green Meadows will create nearly 1,500 jobs for the region. As Green Meadows expands, the economic impact could grow to as much as $848 million and create a need for an additional 40,000 cows in the region. Green Meadows will employ 85 employees during the first phase and more than 130 in phase two.
Green Meadows officially launched its operations Nov. 3 with a special milk christening event. Ysselstein brought the first milk of Green Meadows' operation from his dairy farm in Rock Valley, in a 10-gallon milk can on an old-fashioned cart driven by horses. About 300 people attended to watch Green Meadows kick off their efforts.
From Tristate Neighbor, 12/5/08