Canadian firm The Little Potato Company held a ceremony to mark the opening of its first U.S. processing facility in DeForest, Wisconsin, completing an expansion first announced in 2016.
One hundred workers are currently employed at the USD20m, 130,000 sqf plant, where the firm will process specialty Creamer potatoes grown in the U.S. and Canada. About 30 workers will be hired by the end of the year, the company said.
“Wisconsin is well-known for its rich soil and dedicated farmers, and for helping to feed families across America. We’ve been working with some of the best growers to plant, nurture, and harvest our specialty Creamers, and we’re grateful to have found such exceptional caring partners,” Little Potato Co. vice president of agriculture and business development Sanford Gleddie said in a prepared statement.
Company officials told local ABC News affiliate WKOW that the DeForest facility will process potatoes sold in more than 38,000 grocery stores throughout the U.S.
The Little Potato Company’s Creamers are carried by leading retailers and grocers across the U.S. The company expects continued growth in response to increasing demand for its Creamers, and anticipates adding about 30 more people to its team by the end of 2017.
The Company is also working with several local Wisconsin potato growers to ensure a steady supply of fresh Creamer potatoes from its facility.