6-1 news: New Sara Lee plant in Kansas City to employ 250
“This industry-leading facility will reinforce our competitive advantage in value-added meats, one of Sara Lee’s top strategic categories and long-term growth drivers,” said C.J. Fraleigh, executive vice president and CEO, North American Retail & Foodservice. “It will help us further build our Hillshire Farm and Sara Lee brands, both leaders in the fast-growing category of premium lunch meat.” Sara Lee will invest more than $130 million in the 187,000 square foot facility.
The plant is the site of a former shooting that left the gunman and five others dead, according to the Kansas City Star. It has been vacant for more than two years. Sara Lee has been given a 10-year, 75 percent property tax abatement for the project, and in return, the company will set aside 55 percent of its jobs for Wyandotte County residents.