"We are delighted that we could work with Mayor 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," stated 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. This is good for Wichita, it is good for Cargill and its customers, and it is definitely good for our employees."
The new facility replaces a 210,000-square-foot building at 2901 North Mead, which is in an industrial area and was once a meat processing plant. That property was acquired by Cargill in 1978, when it entered the meat business, and it was recently sold.