Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Walmart will build its first-ever fully owned and operated case-ready beef facility in Olathe. The retailer will invest $257 million in the plant and create 667 new permanent jobs. Construction of the facility will also create 1,000 design, fabrication, and construction jobs.
“Thanks to our work to make Kansas a top food and agriculture state, companies continue to invest in our communities and create high-paying jobs for Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Walmart’s innovative new facility will support a more prosperous future for Olathe, for the Kansas City metro, and for our state as a whole.”
The opening of the 330,000-square-foot facility will further Walmart’s efforts in creating an end-to-end supply chain for high-quality Angus beef while increasing transparency and capacity in its supply chain to deliver high-quality products for its customers in the Midwest.
The new facility is set to break ground later this year. The facility will be designed and built by McCownGordon Construction of Kansas City. Once opened in 2025, the facility will process Angus cuts, supplied by Sustainable Beef LLC, into case-ready beef products such as steaks and roasts to be sold in Walmart stores across the Midwest.
Walmart first announced its ambitions to create an end-to-end supply chain for Angus beef in 2019 and has made numerous strides since then, with the opening of a case-ready beef facility in 2020 and its equity investment and long-term commercial agreement in Sustainable Beef LLC last year.
Walmart customers’ shopping habits have evolved over recent years, and more customers are seeking greater transparency in the supply chain and high-quality offerings available at affordable prices. This case-ready facility will increase needed capacity in the beef industry and allow Walmart to keep up with customer demand.
“At Walmart, enhancing quality is integral to how we innovate,” Walmart Senior Vice President of Deli, Meat, and Seafood David Baskin said. “Once opened, our case-ready beef facility in Olathe will mark an important next step in our journey to create an end-to-end Angus beef supply chain, ensuring our customers have access to the high-quality meats they expect at the everyday low prices they rely on.”
“Since day one of her administration, Governor Kelly has been focused on creating and retaining good-paying jobs in our state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The Walmart facility will provide solid career opportunities for hundreds of Kansas families in addition to benefitting the entire regional economy.”
“This is such great news,” Olathe Mayor John Bacon said. “We’re thrilled that Walmart chose Olathe for its innovative facility. This huge capital investment will help create more jobs that will greatly benefit the City of Olathe and our entire region.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about this state-of-the-art facility coming to Olathe,” Olathe Chamber CEO Tim McKee said. “We can’t thank Walmart, the State of Kansas, and the City of Olathe enough for their help in bringing this facility, and so many great jobs, to our city. This is a huge economic development win for our community.”
Walmart operates 83 retail stores and employs 22,178 associates in the state of Kansas. In fiscal year 2022, stores, clubs, and the Walmart Foundation gave $8.8 million in cash and in-kind donations to local Kansas organizations.