The South Carolina facility is the third of five new PDCs Walmart is opening nationwide, marking a milestone in the company’s supply chain transformation.
EIC Alyse Thompson-Richards recaps some recent plant openings and expansions in the food and beverage industry, including Cayuga Milk Ingredients’ expansion, Grillo’s Pickles Indiana plant, Morinaga’s N.C. facility, Kervan’s Pennsylvania confectionery plant and Heineken’s global R&D center.
The plant will play a role in the company’s mission to bring responsibly raised protein products to retailers and foodservice partners nationwide, producing products for Perdue’s Niman Ranch and Coleman All-Natural Meats brands, as well as private-label customers.
Pittston is in the middle of contracting 25 million out of its 39 million case capacity of annual production, with a goal of adding 20 million more cases of production capacity by 2027.
The distribution center — which is the tallest building in Salina at 144 feet — includes a 38,000-pallet-position racking system with three automated pallet cranes, 12 loading docks and office space.
The facility is expected to produce thousands of metric tons of biomass annually — enabling the delivery of hundreds of metric tons of protein per year.
Located on William J. Clark Drive in Conway, Ark., the 525,000-sq.-ft. facility will manufacture single-serve coffee products and potentially expand into additional product formats in the future.
The facility, which is operated by WSP and dedicated to Chomps production, is expected to create approximately 250 full-time jobs, contributing to the local economy and surrounding areas.
