New Walmart dairy processing plant opens in Georgia

Source: GA Farm Bureau

On Dec. 2, Walmart celebrated the grand opening of its owned and operated milk processing facility in Valdosta — a major milestone the company said will create more than 400 new jobs, strengthen Walmart’s end-to-end supply chain for affordable, high-quality milk, and advance the company’s long-standing commitment to U.S. manufacturing and local sourcing. The 300,000+ square-foot state-of-the-art facility represents a $350 million investment.

According to Walmart, the Valdosta facility marks "the next step in building a more transparent, resilient supply chain—and ensuring freshness, quality, and value every day." Image credit - Walmart

Sourcing milk directly from local dairy farmers, the Valdosta facility will process and bottle a variety of milk options — including gallon, half-gallon, whole, 2%, 1%, skim, and 1% chocolate milk — for Walmart’s Great Value and Sam’s Club Member’s Mark brands. The new operation will supply more than 650 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs across the Southeast, helping ensure customers and members have consistent access to high-quality, affordable milk.

“This new facility has innovation at its core,” said Walmart Vice President for Manufacturing Bruce Heckman. “It will bolster our capacity to meet the demand for high-quality milk, make our supply chain more resilient, and build even greater transparency around sourcing. We’re excited about what this means for Walmart customers, regional farmers, and the Valdosta community.”

Walmart says this move reinforces its commitment to building a more transparent and efficient supply chain for dairy products, helping Walmart meet the customer demand for high-quality, affordable milk to customers across the Southeast.

Walmart also has a milk processing facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as well as two case-ready beef facilities in Thomasville, Georgia, and Olathe, Kansas. Walmart says these efforts support its commitment to U.S. manufacturing and pledge to invest $350 billion in U.S.-made products by 2031. Over two thirds of Walmart’s annual spend is on products made, grown, or assembled in the U.S.