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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Aurora Organic Dairy Plans Processing Facility In Columbia, Missouri

04/05/2017
Aurora Organic Dairy, a leading producer and processor of store-brand organic milk and butter for U.S. retailers, plans to construct a new $100 million dairy processing facility, 125 miles west of St. Louis, in Columbia, Missouri. The project is expected to create more than 90 jobs initially, and up to 150 total new jobs over the next five years.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, AOD’s supply chain includes organic dairy farms, a dedicated organic fluid milk processing plant, and organic heifer and calf ranches in Colorado and Texas. AOD is an integrated company that produces and processes organic milk products for distribution to grocery stores nationwide. This “cow to carton” model provides consumers with organic dairy products of the highest standards, quality and value available in the market today.

“The decision to build our second milk plant in Columbia culminates several years of research and diligence to determine the optimal location for a new processing operation,” Marc Peperzak, Founder & CEO of Aurora Organic Dairy, said. “Columbia was the best choice because it offers a location that expands and improves the efficiency of our total supply chain, from organic feed, to milk, to consumer. Central Missouri also offers a great workforce and attractive access to major interstate highways. We are excited to break ground on our new facility later this Spring.”

AOD expects the plant to be fully operational in early 2019, and this first phase of construction is expected to create more than 90 new jobs in the community. The company may further expand the plant in the next few years and create up to 60 additional new jobs at the facility.

Missouri competed against four other states for the new processing facility and was ultimately given strong consideration because of the supply chain advantages it offered the growing, national organic dairy business. “This is a great addition to the Columbia region,” Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, said. “Food solutions is a key strength for Missouri due to our robust food production sector and our leading role in agriculture which contributes $33 billion to our state GDP each year. We are excited to welcome AOD to Missouri and look forward to their investment in our state and to the jobs they will create.”

“We are going to do everything we can to create more jobs for Missouri families. We are excited for Aurora Organic Dairy to set up shop in our state and start producing Missouri-made goods. I thank the company for their business and their confidence in what we plan to achieve. Together, we're going to grow business and grow Missouri’s economy,” said Governor Eric Greitens.

“As one of the largest capital investment business attraction projects in Missouri, Aurora's decision proves Columbia is a great place to invest, expand and grow,” Brian Treece, Mayor of Columbia, said. “Columbia is proud to offer a skilled workforce that shares Aurora's values of hard work, dedication, and commitment to organic stewardship.

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