BENTONVILLE, ARK. – Walmart Inc. confirmed on June 13 that it plans to build a 330,000-square-foot, case-ready beef facility in Olathe, Kan.

In March, the company requested $257 million in industrial revenue bonds to construct a beef facility in Olathe. 

Walmart started its plans for an end-to-end supply chain for Angus beef in 2019. Since that declaration, the company has made investments in reaching the goal by purchasing a minority stake in the Sustainable Beef LLC processing facility in North Platte, Neb. The beef producer began working on the plant in August 2022. The new case-ready plant in Olathe will package and distribute meat from across the Midwest, including the Sustainable Beef plant.

The retail giant said it would break ground later in 2023 with the target of opening the plant in 2025. The facility is expected to create more than 600 jobs when completed. Construction of the facility will be led by McGownGordon, based in Kansas City, Mo. The project is expected to create 1,000 design, fabrication and construction jobs. Walmart said it plans to make a capital investment of $257 million.

“At Walmart, enhancing quality is integral to how we innovate,” said David Baskin, senior vice president, deli, meat and seafood at Walmart. “Once opened, our case-ready beef facility in Olathe will mark an important next step in our journey to create an end-to-end Angus beef supply chain, ensuring our customers have access to the high-quality meats they expect at the everyday low prices they rely on.”

Local and state government officials agreed the development is an economic boon for the region.

“This is such great news,” said John Bacon, mayor of Olathe. “We’re thrilled that Walmart chose Olathe for its innovative facility. This huge capital investment will help create more jobs that will greatly benefit the City of Olathe and our entire region.” 

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly also lauded adding the plant to the largest county in Kansas.

“Technological advances in the food supply chain continue to reshape the industry,” Kelly said. “Walmart’s innovative new facility further solidifies Kansas’ position as one of the nation’s top food and agriculture states.”

In 2020, Walmart opened a case-ready beef facility in Thomasville, Ga., that is run by FPL Food LLC.