Leprino Mulls Expansion of California Cheese Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). The world’s largest mozzarella cheese manufacturing plant may be getting bigger. Privately held Leprino Foods Company (Denver, Colorado) is contemplating expansion of a mega-mozzarella cheese plant in Lemoore, California in 2008. Pending final approval this spring, the multi-million dollar investment project will increase the plant’s milk processing capacity from around 6 million pounds per day to 10 million pounds per day.

The Lemoore West plant, located several miles from the company’s Lemoore East plant, is situated on a 60-acre site and began producing cheese in early 2003 with an estimated $300 million price tag. Totaling more than 250,000 square feet, the plant’s layout follows a linear design that allows production capacity to be increased in increments of 3 million pounds. Leprino has secured the necessary permits to move forward with the project and could begin construction this fall.

In addition to cheese, the Lemoore West plant also produces lactose powder and whey protein concentrate.

According to a project report released by Industrial Info, Leprino is exploring sites in Kansas for a new cheese plant. Currently, the company operates eight plants in the U.S. and two in Europe. Last summer, Leprino completed an expansion of a plant in Michigan. See related article dated December 5, 2005 Leprino Foods Begins $83 Million Cheese Plant Expansion in Michigan.

Industrial Info is currently tracking over $1.2 billion in active capital projects in the Food and Beverage Industry in California that are slated for construction in 2007 and beyond, including another greenfield cheese plant in the Fresno area.

Industrial Info has identified more than $93 billion in planned industrial project capital expenditures in California. Click on the image at right to view a breakdown of this project spending by industry.

Founded in 1950, Leprino Foods is a world leader in premium-quality cheese manufacturing and the largest U.S. exporter of cheese whey products for a company wide output in excess of 5 million pounds of cheese per day.

View Plant Profile - 1046716 1071817
View Project Report - 06004982 33001120

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