WICHITA, KAS. — Cargill Meat Solutions, a division of Cargill, plans to build an innovation center that will include research, development, culinary, pilot plant and distribution capabilities. The new facility will replace a 210,000-square-foot building in Wichita that was formerly a meat processing plant and acquired by Cargill in 1978. The company estimates the investment in the innovation center to be $14.7 million and construction is scheduled to begin July 2010 with a completion date during June 2011.

“We are delighted that we could work with Mayor (Carl) Brewer’s office to create a mutually beneficial scenario in which we will be able to develop a cutting-edge food innovation facility and keep 65 jobs in Wichita,” said Jody Horner, president of Cargill’s U.S. meat business. “Our preference has always been to develop a new innovation center here and, over the past few months, all of the necessary elements properly aligned to allow that to happen.”