Global food manufacturer McCain Foods broke ground on a $200 million facility expansion in Burley, Idaho. The company estimates that the investment will bring 180 jobs to the plant, supported by a state grant that will provide $2.5 million in workforce training funds. This money will help employees develop the skills they’ll need to operate the new and more technical food processing equipment.
Recently, the company announced that production of the 259,000 square-foot manufacturing space is on pace to meet all of its construction and production goals. The additional space is in response to the growing demand for McCain’s frozen potato products.
The facility has been in Burley since the mid-1960s. Proximity to Idaho’s abundant potato farming operations and a workforce familiar with the production processes were identified as leading factors for targeting the plant for expansion.
The Burley plant expansion, which should be completed later this year, follows similar projects at Canadian facilities that were initiated last summer. McCain Foods USA is the American division of McCain Foods Limited, which employs more than 20,000 people at 53 production facilities. The company has approximately 3,800 employees at 11 factories in the U.S. It is the largest processor of frozen potato products in the world, but also offers appetizers, vegetables, and dessert.
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