COLUMBUS, OHIO – Fast-food hamburger chain White Castle on July 13 broke ground on the expansion of a retail food manufacturing plant in Vandalia, Ohio. The facility, which has been named “The House That Bill Built” in honor of former president and chief executive officer Bill Ingram, will supply packaged Sliders to retailers across the United States.

White Castle said it plans to invest $27 million in the expansion project, which should be complete by June 2022. The expansion will double the size of the plant, from approximately 75,000 square feet to 150,000 square feet. The expansion also will create 75 jobs, bringing total employment at the plant to 235 once the new production lines are fully operational.

“Our retail division has been growing steadily over the past 10 years, and we saw huge growth last year as people cooked and ate at home more during the pandemic,” said Lisa Ingram, president and CEO of White Castle and daughter of Bill Ingram. “Having more dedicated space to make more sandwiches will enable us to keep up with the increasing demand for our frozen Sliders.”

White Castle introduced its retail division in 1987, becoming the first fast-food restaurant to offer its menu items for purchase at grocery stores for preparation at home. Over the years, the company has invested heavily in the supply chain that feeds both its restaurant and retail divisions. It owns and operates its own bakeries, meat processing plants and frozen food manufacturing plants. White Castle’s retail product lineup includes the Original Slider, Cheese Sliders, Jalapeño Cheese Sliders and Chicken Breast Sliders.