Industry News

With production underway at its U.S. candy plant in Pleasant Prairie, Haribo of America is already designing a second phase of equal size, with two more that could bring the total plant to about 2 million square feet.… Read more

You might not see a lot of parallels between frozen pepperoni pizza and healthy spring rolls, but it somehow works at Funky Villa. That’s the name of the unusual partnership between frozen pizza giant Palermo’s and the creator… Read more

Jackson’s Chips, a Muskego-based manufacturer of kettle-cooked sweet potato chips, is expanding the size of its facility, adding 10,000 square feet of space, which will nearly triple its production capacity. The company opened the facility less than two… Read more

Orange & Fifth is expanding. Owner Brian Miller is purchasing a building on Milwaukee’s northwest side that he says is “ideal for food and beverage manufacturing.” At more than 40,000 square feet, the Milwaukee-based building includes warehouse and… Read more

After sustaining substantial turnover among production employees, pet food maker Stella & Chewy’s revamped its strategy for retaining them: A $15,000 bonus if the company cuts in half its voluntary turnover the next three years. “We thought that… Read more

Milwaukee’s Lush Popcorn is expanding with a second location. The popcorn maker, owned by siblings Marcia and Marc Taylor, debuted in 2014 and has been a tenant of the Sherman Phoenix Marketplace since the development opened in late 2018. Lush Popcorn… Read more

Alan Goodman learned to bake under duress. As a child, after lying about his whereabouts after school – playing basketball instead of going to the library – he paid his penance by helping his mother in the kitchen.… Read more

Glendale-based Sprecher Brewing Co. announced Wednesday that it is releasing a limited-edition Honeycrisp Apple Blend soda. The limited fall seasonal soda is made exclusively with a blend of Honeycrisp, Cortland and McIntosh apples handpicked from Wood Orchard LLC in Door County. Sprecher Honeycrisp… Read more

Wisconsin’s cranberry growers are expecting a 4.97 million barrel crop in 2023, based on U.S. Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) crop projections. Wisconsin will remain the largest cranberry producer in the world, growing and harvesting approximately 60% of the… Read more

Oconomowoc craft beer and baseball lovers will now have a new beer to try on tap at the Wisconsin Brewing Company Park, home of the Lake Country DockHounds. That beer, a pilsner brewed with a unique ingredient, not… Read more

Ray Simpkins says he has always been a salesman. At a young age, Simpkins said, he would knock on doors around his neighborhood offering candy bars for purchase so he could buy remote-controlled cars. “Retail has been in… Read more

Valentine Coffee Roasters has opened its new café in West Allis. The shop is at 5835 W. National Ave., the former location of Public Table, which closed in late 2022. Valentine neighbors Kegel’s Inn, owned by Julian Kegel.… Read more

A Dohmen Co. Foundation’s investment fund has provided $15 million to a Los Angeles company with a mission of making healthy food more accessible. That represents the first funding pledge under the Milwaukee-based foundation’s Dohmen Impact Investment Fund.… Read more

From how late a brewery or winery can remain open to what products can be sold at each establishment, Wisconsin’s alcoholic beverage industry is currently a challenging one to navigate. Many of the state’s post-Prohibition laws leave a… Read more

On the heels of expanding into a massive Cottage Grove production facility, chef Eric Rupert’s candied nut company, formerly Nutkrack, launched a new, updated brand on May 15th, 2023. The company will continue to grow nationally as Fortune… Read more

PLEASANT PRAIRIE — A 50,000-square-foot expansion to a packaging facility moved forward during Monday’s Plan Commission meeting, with construction to begin as early as next month.LMI Packaging, 8911 102nd St., primarily manufactures heat-seal lids, about 3.6 billion annually.… Read more

State-of-the-art renovations to UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall are expected to revolutionize the Wisconsin cheese industry and bring the university’s iconic dairy production back to campus after a 3½-year hiatus. The Babcock Dairy Plant will resume operations on campus and… Read more

KAUKAUNA, Wisconsin – Bassett Mechanical is excited to announce the expansion of its Kaukauna, WI, headquarters. The expansion will add 16,200 square feet of additional office space. It will include a new training area, a new cafeteria with… Read more

There was no playbook for the Covid-19 pandemic, Sanford owner Justin Aprahamian said. In mid-March when Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers created the safer-at-home order, restaurants, grocery stores and food producers all saw their business shift. Employees questioned their safety, revenue streams dried… Read more

RICHFIELD, Wis. — Dr. Marty Pets, a canine and feline brand offering cutting-edge, premium freeze-dried raw dog and cat food and supplements, is pleased to announce the opening of Golden Pet Manufacturing. Enabling a robust supply chain with… Read more

As Haribo progresses toward the completion of construction for the first phase of its Pleasant Prairie manufacturing plant, the company is hosting a three-day career fair this week to hire future employees. “We’re aiming to have approximately 100 new manufacturing… Read more

Kewaskum, Wisconsin (March 7, 2023) – Regal Ware, Inc., and the Village of Kewaskum are proud to announce a positive joint agreement benefiting both organizations. The Kewaskum Village Board voted on Monday night approving a letter of intent to… Read more

The growth of Palermo Villa Inc. — and its plans for a new pizza plant in Jefferson — go beyond the popularity of its newest brand Surfer Boy based on the popular sci-fi horror series “Stranger Things,” chairman… Read more

A Milwaukee-area bakery that sells St. Louis butter cakes has started another fundraiser and made other moves to support continued growth in its retail distribution. The Mama Bev’s Bakery brand started off as a dessert option at owner Gary… Read more

Johnsonville Ventures, the venture capital arm of sausage company Johnsonville Holdings, raised $99.5 million that an executive said will go toward re-capitalizing an undisclosed company in its investment portfolio. The transaction will close by the end of February… Read more

A new sausage company is coming to Henry Maier Festival Park. Milwaukee World Festival Inc., the presenters of Summerfest, on Friday announced Sheboygan Falls-based Johnsonville LLC as a new sponsor of Summerfest with a multi-year sponsorship. Johnsonville co-owner Ralph… Read more

Palermo’s will establish operations in this facility in Jefferson. Photo courtesy of Palermo’s. Milwaukee-based Palermo Villa Inc., a frozen pizza manufacturer, is planning an expansion into a new Jefferson facility that will create more than 200 jobs and increase production… Read more

Plymouth-based Sartori Cheese announced this week the promotion of Bert Sartori to chief executive officer. He is now the fourth Sartori family member in 83 years to take the helm as CEO of the company. Bert’s father, Jim Sartori, represented the third generation of… Read more

Stella & Chewy’s LLC has struck a deal with San Diego-based Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc. that will put products from the Oak Creek premium pet food company into Petco stores in all 50 states. Petco (Nasdaq:… Read more

Franklin-based Krones Inc., a subsidiary of Germany-based integrated packaging and bottling line system manufacturer Krones AG, has acquired a majority stake of Salem Lakes-based R+D Custom Automation LLC. Terms of the deal, which closed Nov. 9, were not disclosed. R+D supplies machinery… Read more

Irish health and wellness products company Perrigo Company plc said Tuesday that it is acquiring an infant formula plant in Wisconsin from Nestlé as part of a $170 million strategic investment to expand formula production in the U.S.… Read more

DENMARK, Wis. — The nation’s largest co-manufacturer of sausage and hot dog products has completed a $35 million expansion in Denmark with support from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. WEDC Deputy Secretary and COO Sam Rikkers announced that… Read more

Milwaukee Chip Company has grown tremendously since it was established as a limited liability corporation in the spring of 2020. Within a year, the company was renting kitchen space by the hour at Upstart Kitchen to create its… Read more

Third Wave Bioactives is the “secret ingredient” in many of your favorite pre-packaged, natural, non-GMO foods. Its products extend the shelf life and enhance the flavor of foods, all while using natural ingredients. The company that develops fermentation-based… Read more

Milwaukee-based Sensient Technologies Corp., a manufacturer of colors, flavors and other specialty ingredients, announced Wednesday its acquisition of Gebze, Turkey-based Endemix Dogal Maddeler A.Ş. (Endemix). Endemix is a vertically integrated natural color and extracts company with customers in the food and… Read more

Every Thursday, Lakefront Brewery employees get the opportunity to sample beer, but it’s not what you think. They are not necessarily trying the latest Lakefront innovation or what’s on tap. It’s part of the brewery’s sensory training that… Read more

It’s common for Wisconsin officials to talk about transcending the cheese and brat stereotype when announcing new companies moving to the state, but being America’s Dairyland was one of the reasons a cocoa company from Ghana chose to… Read more

Snack season might dovetail with school and sports for some families, but for an increasing number of us, snacks and small meals are the new normal.  If you grew up in a world of no snacks between meals,… Read more

For Eagle Park Brewing Co., still less than a decade old, acquiring one of the most recognizable Milwaukee craft beer brands, obtaining what co-owner Jake Schinker called a built-in legacy, was an opportunity the brewery could not pass up. Eagle… Read more

 What excites you most about your new role?  “The (food and beverage) industry is on a roll. Coming off of COVID-19, the industry is so much stronger. Wisconsin continues to be a hub for food and beverage manufacturers.… Read more

They started by serving delicious drink concoctions to friends and at local farmers’ markets. Now they count celebrity chefs among their biggest fans. Although their success might be based in bitters, there’s no bitter end in sight for… Read more

Chicago-based brewery incubator Pilot Project is purchasing Milwaukee Brewing Co. near Fiserv Forum and has closed on $8 million in seed financing to become the new owners of the 70,000-square-foot production facility in downtown Milwaukee. It is part of… Read more

KENNY YOO – Gary Plassmeyer of Mama Bev’s Bakery A Hales Corners business that started as a pizza shop’s dessert offering plans to fundraise to support its growth. Gary Plassmeyer started Mama Bev’s Bakery to provide St. Louis butter… Read more

Central Standard Craft Distillery will shut down production at the state’s largest distillery. But that shutdown will only be for one day in celebration of Brandy Old Fashioned Day across Wisconsin. The Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen at… Read more

MILWAUKEE (September 20th, 2022) – Once again, Lakefront Brewery will play host to a national cheese curd day celebration featuring their hottest and most award-winning menu item, fried cheese curds! Lakefront will be observing the Saturday holiday on… Read more

Founded in 1988 in a home garage in Ozaukee County, Matrix Packaging Machinery’s equipment is now used in food distribution across the continent, and it is growing in Grafton to continue manufacturing all of its proprietary machine components… Read more

Discourse Coffee founder Ryan Castelaz sees himself as a storyteller who uses coffee as the medium to weave his tales. His passion for storytelling was ignited in childhood when he fell in love with opera. As a young… Read more

The experts say the hard seltzer market is losing its fizz, but that dip has yet to hit the canned cocktail market. The tremendous growth experienced by Sheboygan-based Carbliss seems to prove this market trend. Launched in 2019, co-founders Adam… Read more

Gateway Technical College is pushing to add a new apprenticeship opportunity for its students. The Kenosha-based technical college is partnering with Aurora Health Care to add a culinary apprenticeship, a three-year program combining real world work with in-school… Read more

Milwaukee Brewing Co. will have its final day of taproom service on Aug. 30 after announcing on social media that a new brewery will purchase the taproom at 1128 N. Ninth St. near Fiserv Forum. The brewery posted… Read more

Third Space Brewing president and co-founder Andy Gehl says his brewery had two main goals in 2022. One was to grow sales in the marketplace across Wisconsin. Though the craft beer industry has seen a national decline in sales, according… Read more

Suggesting it is approaching a “major” breakthrough that “could alter an entire industry,” Waukesha manufacturer Hydro-Thermal Corp. is proposing a demonstration brewery to test new beer-producing technology in Pewaukee. “Hydro-Thermal in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is on the verge of… Read more

Made in Milwaukee Calypso flavored lemonade continues to grow its national reach. The brand, which is owned by Milwaukee-based King Juice Co. Inc., recently added 3,000 new outlets to its distribution network, including Walmart, Publix, Sheetz, H-E-B and Kroger locations.… Read more

Tasting Table, a national food and drink website, named Sprecher Root Beer as the best root beer out of 19 throughout the country. Some of the other top root beers included Bulldog (No. 2), Hank’s (No. 3), Saranac… Read more

Pleasant Prairie-based Fair Oaks Foods is once again expanding, this time with the construction of a new fully cooked bacon facility in Davenport, Iowa. The new 150,000-square-foot facility will be located in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center and is expected… Read more

The longtime Milwaukee home of Ma Baensch Marinated Herring went on the market in June and quickly sold to an investor group with roots in the surrounding east side neighborhood. Bender-McNamara LLC of Milwaukee acquired the currently vacant… Read more

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on Thursday announced $2 million in worker training grants, including four grants for southeastern Wisconsin companies that will support training for up to 286 workers in the region. The Wisconsin Fast Forward… Read more

CSL USA Inc. (Cultures Supporting Life USA Inc.), a manufacturer of ingredients used in the dietary supplement and food industries, has opened a fermentation facility in Caledonia. The new 80,000-square-foot facility will support the food, beverage, health and… Read more

PLYMOUTH — Gov. Tony Evers today announced the state of Wisconsin is supporting a major expansion of Masters Gallery Foods with up to $1.5 million in performance-based state tax credits from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The company… Read more

As FaB Wisconsin celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2022, the year marks another milestone for its founding Chief FaBricating Officer, Shelley Jurewicz, who announced she will be retiring on June 30, 2022. “I want to thank you for… Read more

Miller Brewing Company and parent company Molson Coors is offering a new way for Miller Lite lovers to enjoy the taste of their beer. Miller Brewing announced Monday the creation of a beer-infused charcoal dubbed Miller Lite Beercoal. To bring… Read more

Fox Point-based Hollander Chocolate, Inc. is planning to move its headquarters to Port Washington. The company, which makes café sauces and powders for craft beverages, is seeking to move into the former Ernie Von Schledorn car dealership located at 1180… Read more

PLYMOUTH, Wis. — Sargento Foods announced Tuesday it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Wisconsin-based Baker Cheese Factory, Inc. Sargento said the acquisition will add to the wide variety of sliced, shredded, and snack natural cheese products… Read more

If you recently popped open a can of White Claw or Coca-Cola, chances are that can was filled with help from Town of Brookfield-based KHS USA Inc. The company makes filling and packaging equipment for food and beverage producers… Read more

Palmyra-based Standard Process Inc., a manufacturer of whole food-based nutritional supplements, is constructing a 10,000-square-foot complex that will be connected to the company’s existing Juice Process building. Located on their certified organic farm, the expansion will be home to a… Read more

Plymouth, WI — Masters Gallery Foods added to its award-winning green initiatives with the purchase of a pure-electric terminal truck from Orange EV, making it the first manufacturer in the state of Wisconsin to deploy their 100% electric Class… Read more

Facing cost increases of double-digit percentages to 100%, metro Milwaukee food businesses are implementing strategies including negotiating with suppliers not just on price but packaging, reformulating products including smaller sizes and running their own trucks to suppliers rather… Read more

Johnsonville is proud to announce it’s been honored with a spot in Forbes Magazine’s list of “America’s Best Midsize Companies” for 2022. The unsolicited recognition was awarded in acknowledgement of Johnsonville’s working conditions, compensation, potential for development, company image and more.… Read more

After 25 years in business, Milwaukee Brewing Company’s board of directors announced Friday plans to seek potential buyers for the business and all of its assets. Company leadership has tapped New Mill Capital, a manufacturing asset acquisition and disposition firm, to help… Read more

Minnesota-based specialty candy company Maud Borup, Inc., has purchased the Stuffed Puffs factory in Delafield for $3.6 million. The sale of the 40,100-square-foot building, located at 3776 Kettle Court East, took place on March 4, according to state property transaction records.… Read more

Wisconsin hit a new record for agricultural exports in 2021, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced Monday. Experts said that signals a return to normalcy after the effects of retaliatory tariffs and the COVID-19 pandemic.… Read more

PLYMOUTH, WI — Sargento Foods Inc. has welcomed new leaders and announce new roles: Kris Cherukuri, Vice President of Information Technology, Vera Petrova Dickinson, Vice President of Food Safety & Quality, Chris McCarthy, Vice President of Pricing & Demand Planning, Holly Baumgart, Vice… Read more

Wisconsin’s FaBcap Accelerator program has expanded nationally and is now serving six times as many businesses across the U.S. Instead of serving the usual group of 10 businesses, FaBcap will now assist 60 businesses in the food and beverage industries.… Read more

From City Lights Brewing Co. and Valentine Coffee Co. to Funky Fresh Spring Rolls and Soul Brew Kombucha, the FaBcap Accelerator has helped 50 Wisconsin food and beverage companies find their footing. Now, the state-sponsored accelerator is transforming into a… Read more

Milwaukee-based frozen pizza manufacturer Palermo Villa, Inc. has acquired a majority stake in Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, a Milwaukee-based business specializing in handcrafted spring rolls. According to a press release, Palermo’s will work with Funky Fresh Spring Rolls to expand… Read more

The new season of Wisconsin Foodie premieres 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 on PBS Wisconsin. The season of rest is upon me – and I loathe it. Ten months out of the calendar year are spent researching, documenting, traveling, actively… Read more

At any given moment, the entrepreneurs who rent prep space in the shared commercial kitchen at Upstart Kitchen, 4323 W. Fond du Lac Ave., could be making barbecue, Nigerian cuisine, liquor-infused ice cream, baked goods, potato chips or community meals. In the… Read more

Oak-Creek based Asenzya, formerly known as Foran Spice Company, has been acquired by Solina, a European producer of savory ingredients solutions, the companies announced Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Asenzya is a custom seasoning company focused on… Read more

Central Standard Craft Distillery created a new brewmaster series where the Milwaukee-based distillery partners with different local, national and even international breweries to create craft spirits. Central Standard’s manufacturing facility is based at 2330 W. Clybourn St. on… Read more

All of the Haribo Gold Bear gummis sold in the U.S. are shipped in from eight company factories in six different countries. That changes by the second quarter of 2023, when the German candy maker will bring online… Read more

Canadian cheese maker Saputo Inc. chose Franklin for an estimated $60 million office and distribution facility that could have up to 650 jobs. That’s according to information the company has shared with city of Franklin officials, said Mayor Steve… Read more

A purveyor of blast-frozen meats and seafood plans to open a store in Glendale this year. Wild Fork Foods, owned by JBS USA Food Co., is developing a store near the Bayshore shopping center. The retailer plans to… Read more

What started off as a brand founded by a woman making food for her two dogs in her one-bedroom New York apartment almost two decades ago has now grown to become a national competitor in the pet food… Read more

Utah-based freeze-dried food company Thrive Foods has leased a new 341,000-square-foot industrial building in Oak Creek and plans to establish operations there. The building was built on speculation at 9141 S. 13th St. by Milwaukee-based Frontline Commercial Real Estate LLC. Thrive Foods is a… Read more

While National Lemonade Day approaches on Aug. 20, Milwaukee based King Juice, 851 W. Grange Ave., is seeing an increase in interest in its Calypso lemonade sales.  Since 1999 the company has been making Calypso lemonade on the south side of… Read more

Hunger Task Force is launching a $3.4 million capital campaign to support its new headquarters building. The hunger relief organization announced in December plans to move from its current headquarters at 201 S. Hawley Court in Milwaukee to a larger warehouse… Read more

Tribe 9 Foods of Wisconsin announced Thursday that it had bought Carla’s Pasta of South Windsor for $26.3 million and planned to maintain local production while expanding volume and distribution. Tribe 9, a Madison-based maker of gluten-free pasta… Read more

As the fifth annual FaBcap Accelerator unfolds within the UW System’s Food Finance Institute, or FFI, the 2021 cohort includes a familiar face: Christine Ameigh of Christine’s Kitchens and Slide Gourmet Potato Chips. FaBcap is the state’s only… Read more

A plan to nearly double the size of natural pet food maker Stella & Chewy’s Oak Creek headquarters is proceeding — a $67.7 million project expected to create 245 jobs over the next three years. The project is… Read more

Milwaukee-based Central Standard Craft Distillery is the new owner of the historic former Wisconsin Leather Co. building in downtown Milwaukee. The distillery last year announced its intentions to open a tasting room and events venue in the 11,700-square-foot, three-story building at 320… Read more

“Lemme get two hot ones,” says a longtime customer as he places his order at Reynold’s Pasty Shop in northern Milwaukee. Reynold’s has been handcrafting its pasty (pronounced “pas-tee”) for more than 60 years; the Burleigh Street location has been… Read more

APPLETON, WIS. – GLK Foods’ point of differentiation exists between fresh vegetables and processed products, in the market space reserved for foods described as minimally processed. The company has built a growing business on sauerkraut, pickled vegetables and… Read more

Cindy Poiesz, founder of Evolve Brands. Cindy Poiesz, founder of Evolve Brands has a classic entrepreneur success story. She started selling her granola mix, Supernola, at farmers markets in 2015. Sales grew tenfold after she partnered with a food… Read more

Global food and beverage firm Nestle is preparing to launch a $50 million project to expand its production facility in Eau Claire, WI, local news organizations reported. The investment will make the facility the largest manufacturing site within Nestle’s Health… Read more

Satori Food Project Inc. has developed vitamin-fortified drinks that can be made in a Keurig brewer to provide anxiety relief. The K-Cups come in two flavors: twi hot cocoa and mocha latte. Milwaukee-based Satori was founded in 2019… Read more

Tamesha Russell always knew she wanted to work in the culinary field. As a child, she found joy in cooking and baking for family and friends. Russell said she took over the duties of preparing Thanksgiving dinner as a… Read more

MADISON- On Thursday, Nov. 12, Gov. Tony Evers, with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP), announced two of Wisconsin’s largest hunger relief organizations will receive an additional $10 million to help serve Wisconsinites experiencing… Read more

Developers gained their first approval this week toward buying a city of Milwaukee lot on East North Avenue to build new affordable apartments and an accelerator for local food businesses.  The project is a partnership between Milwaukee minority-owned… Read more

A recent contract with a manufacturer will allow a Milwaukee-area maker of St. Louis butter cakes to expand its distribution. Gary Plassmeyer, the founder and chief executive officer of Mama Bev’s Bakery in Hales Corners, said the transaction… Read more

Milwaukee-based Miller Baking Co., the maker of the Pretzilla brand, has been acquired by Benestar Brands, a portfolio of Dallas-based private investment firm Highlander Partners L.P. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. A family-owned business since 1923, Miller Baking launched the… Read more