California Dairies, Inc. (CDI) recently held a grand opening for its new manufacturing plant, Valley Natural Beverages (VNB), in Bakersfield, Calif.

The 200,000-sq.-ft. greenfield facility represents a transformational investment by CDI’s member-owners, demonstrating its commitment to designing its own destiny and meeting the demand for fluid-milk products in both the U.S. and international markets. The vertically integrated plant will process an estimated 116,000 gallons of local milk dairy, displaying the local nature of California’s dairy industry.

California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross, Kern County Supervisor David Couch and Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, as well as local officials, community leaders and company executives.

“We are thrilled to officially open this cutting-edge facility,” says Brad Anderson, president and chief executive officer of CDI. “This investment underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability. The new plant will allow us to increase production capacity, expand our product offerings, improve efficiency and create next-generation jobs for the local community.”

The shelf-stable milk manufacturing facility features robotics, energy-efficient technologies and a commitment to environmental sustainability, incorporating renewal energy sources and waste conservation. The plant will open with three processing lines to produce conventional extended shelf life (ESL) and ultra-high temperature (UHT) dairy beverages and products. VNB’s strategic growth plan includes multiple phases to expand to 10-12 processing and filling production lines, tripling the facility’s current capacity. When all phases are completed, the facility will be 400,000 sq. ft., processing up to 600,000 gallons per day of fresh, local milk.

“This facility is a testament to the innovation and resilience of California’s dairy farmers,” Kounalakis says. “It represents a bold investment in the future of agriculture – one that supports sustainability, strengthens our rural economy and showcases the world-class leadership of California’s dairy industry.”

“Value-added dairy products, like ESL and UHT, are popular options in today’s changing marketplace,” says Peter Ernster, senior vice president of ingredients and fluid products at CDI. “This facility allows us to meet that demand with innovative products.”

The project was made possible with the support of partners, including Big-D Construction; Tetra Pak; E.A. Bonelli + Associates, Inc.; JCS Process & Control Systems; Elopak; Mark III; Interlake Mecalux and Dairy Conveyor.

CDI has hired 90 full-time employees for the facility, providing compensation and benefits, contributing to the creation of Industry 4.0 jobs.